


Target On

by MagKayWrites



Category: UP10TION
Genre: Asphyxiation, Begging, Blindfolds, Blow Jobs, Flirting, Fluff, Hand Jobs, Handcuffs, Homicide, Humiliation, Hyung Kink, Investigation, Kuhn is going to kick Hwanhee's ass, Lots of Angst, M/M, Minsoo isn't an asshole I promise, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Plot With Porn, Police, Praise Kink, Smut, Tags Are Hard, Teasing, Wax Play, anxiety/panic attacks, mafia, suffocation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-09
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-09-14 13:54:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 36,795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16914102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MagKayWrites/pseuds/MagKayWrites
Summary: Hwanhee was just an orphaned teen living on the streets when he was picked up by the Mafia. The Mafia had become his family and he didn't mind the dirty and hard work that came with it. In fact, he was damn good at his job- good enough that Yein had taken a liking to him.Hwanhee had only one weakness; he didn’t like when people had to die.And lots of people seemed to being dying lately...





	1. Prologue

**Character Profiles**

_Dongyeol_

\- Very close with older brother, Minsoo

-Rebellious, doesn't care for the family business

-Intelligent but naive

-Strained relationship with his father

-Not a morning person and would rather be anywhere but work

_Minsoo_

-Older brother to Dongyeol

-Protective of Dongyeol

-Heir to the family business

-"Perfect son"

-May or may not have goofed up with the Mafia at some point

-Used to be best friends (and in love with) Gyujin

-Intelligent, cunning

_Changhyun_

-Father to Minsoo and Dongyeol

-One of the wealthiest chaebols in Korea

-Unintentionally favors Minsoo because Dongyeol is immature

-Doesn't have any idea what's going on

-All work, no play

-Widower

-Sort of a minor character (sorry)

_Wooseok_

-Secretary to Changhyun

-Mischievous

-Not just a secretary...

-Dongyeol's babysitter

-Dedicated

-Never sleeps, too busy

-Very handsome 

_Gyujin_

-Orphaned

-Only heir to the Han family business

-Also among the wealthiest chaebols in Korea

-Softie but holds a grudge

-Loathes the Lee family, even though Minsoo was once his best friend

-Smart and romantic

_Jinwook_

-Detective/Police

-One of the best at his job

-May or may not be secretly dating his partner...

-Strong sense of wrong and right

-"Good cop"

-Devoted and trustworthy

_Sungjun_

-Detective/Police

-Hotheaded, irrational

-"Bad cop"

-May or may not be in a relationship that could get him fired...

-Grumpy but loves his job

-Really good at his job

_Hwanhee_

-Orphaned

-Recruited off the streets into the Mafia

-Under Sooil's wing

-Very professional

-The Mafia is his family

-Moved to a high rank in the Mafia very quickly

-(Hopeless romantic)

_Sooil_

-Right hand man to the Mafia boss

-Very powerful

-Strong, dark, and handsome

-Manipulative

- _Very_ charismatic

-Thinks of Hwanhee as a brother

-Very good with a gun

_Yein_

-MAFIA BOSS

-Hates getting his hands dirty

-Only trusts Sooil

-Starting to trust Hwanhee

-Smart, calculating

-Cruel

-Really really wouldn't want to cross this guy

-A lot of people have died because of him...

Hwanhee shivered, the wind chilling through his ripped jacket as he pulled it closer to his body. Hwanhee was homeless and had been for the last nine months since his parents died. The car accident had killed his parents instantly, which Hwanhee thought was the only positive to the whole situation. He loved them, so he was glad they hadn’t felt any pain. 

However, after the accident, he didn’t have any family to live with or friends that cared. This was his life now- digging through trash cans, sleeping on park benches, avoiding the police. It was hard but Hwanhee really didn’t want to end up in an orphanage; he thought he was tough enough to live on his own, despite barely being a teenager. 

He shivered again as he moved around. He knew once he found something, anything to eat, he could go back to his spot- the place he considered home for now- and warm up. He sifted through the recently discarded food scraps, but nothing was really edible from the waste. His stomach growled loudly and his frown deepened. 

Music from a club nearby filled the air and he peaked out from the alleyway, taking in his surroundings. He never liked when it came down to this, but he didn’t have much of a choice.

He quietly made his way towards the club and the crowd of people outside, waiting for entry. Some were already buzzed, others chatted excitedly to friends. Hwanhee scanned the crowd and stuck close to the shadows as he approached the end of the line. There, a group of drunk girls giggled and stumbled around, somewhat dancing to the music as they waited. 

He was careful not to be seen as he picked a victim and waited until her attention was on her phone. He slowly but confidently reached into the girl’s open purse and swiped her wallet in one swift motion, moving back into the shadows before disappearing down the street and far away from the group of girls.

Once a few blocks away and closer to his spot, he opened the wallet and stole the cash the girl had stored before shoving it into his pocket and tossing the wallet into a nearby trash can. He kept his head down low as he walked into a convenience store and bought some snacks, careful to save some cash for later. It wasn’t much, but it’d hold him over for the time being. 

He left the convenience store and tucked the bag into his jacket. All he wanted to do now was eat and sleep. 

He didn’t realize it until he felt chills down his spine that he was being followed. A black SUV crawled down the street and Hwanhee tried to act nonchalant as he picked up his pace. 

At the end of a particularly dead road, the windows rolled down and Hwanhee’s hair stood up on the back of his neck. He thought he was going to have to fight his way out of this situation and he clenched his fists.

“Hey, kid,” a voice called from the back seat of the SUV. 

Hwanhee tensed and tried to duck down a different alleyway, but suddenly there was someone else blocking his way. He turned around and nearly ran into someone else.

 _Shit...what kind of trouble did I cause over one wallet?_ Hwanhee thought to himself as he backed away, finding himself trapped between a group of men.

The man who called out to him earlier stepped out from the vehicle. He was dressed formally, a tailored three-piece suit fitting his frame. Hwanhee would’ve thought the man was the CEO of a company or something if he hadn’t been surrounded by thugs. 

_I didn’t steal some celebrity’s wallet or something, did I?_

“Relax, kid,” the man spoke in a deep, calm tone, “We’re not here to fight or anything. I was just impressed with your skills back there.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Hwanhee replied evenly, flexing his hands at his side.

“Sure you do,” one of the other men spoke up, “We saw you take that wallet.”

_Fuck._

“Look, I don’t know what you guys saw but it wasn’t me. If you saw some sort of theft, you should report it to the police. Don’t pester pedestrians.”

The nicely dressed man chuckled.

“I like you, kid. Let’s talk.”

Before Hwanhee really had a chance to protest, he was being grabbed and forced into the back of the SUV, next to the older man.  
Hwanhee tried not to show the panic that was rushing through his veins. 

“Who the hell are you guys?” He internally flinched at the shakiness in his voice.

The other man smirked, then said, “Let me introduce myself.”

He extended his hand outwards towards Hwanhee, who stared for a moment before hesitantly shaking hands. 

“No Sooil. And you?”

“H-Hwanhee.” He wanted to hit himself for the stutter, but he couldn’t deny he was a bit terrified of the entire situation.

“Well, Hwanhee, what’s your story?”

“Buy me a real meal and I’ll talk. I think it’s common courtesy for kidnapping someone, no?”

The man, Sooil, chuckled again, then studied Hwanhee for a few minutes as silence stretched between the two. 

Finally, Sooil spoke up and said, “Listen, kid. I think you have some real potential. You’re fast, quiet, spunky, tough. I have somewhere you’ll fit in perfectly.”


	2. Where Has He Gone Now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> I wanted to make it clear here in case there is any confusion or to clear up any future confusion!
> 
> My friend (Kay) and I (Maggie) are co-writing this story. It's an interactive twitter story that we decided will probably get a little darker or raunchier than is okay for twitter. This is where those parts will be posted!!
> 
> We have polls we post on the twitter page that decides actions/character development/character interaction/plot lines. If you'd like to participate, go over to @/honey10fanfic!!
> 
> We post chapter updates there first to give the readers interacting a chance to read it before ao3! The following day, we post here!
> 
> Not every chapter will have explicit content. We will note when the chapters vary from the twitter version.
> 
> Thanks for your support~

_Knock Knock Knock._

Dongyeol decided to keep his eyes closed and pray his brother would go away.

“Yah, you can’t ignore me forever, you know,” Minsoo called, knocking loudly again.

Dongyeol grumbled and turned over in his bed.

“We have to go to work. We’re already running late because of you, and you skipped out yesterday. I really think Dad might have my head if you do it again.”

“But hyung,” Dongyeol whined, sitting up and rubbing his eyes lazily. 

“I don’t want to hear it,” Minsoo cut him off, “I got chewed out yesterday for you disappearing. Let’s go.”

After a moment, Dongyeol heard his brother’s footsteps descend down the hallway. It took him another minute before he convinced himself to get out of bed and drag himself towards the bathroom to get ready.

Looking at himself in the mirror, he was lucky to find his hair wasn’t too messy and he could skip out on showering for now. 

He moved through his routine of brushing his teeth, washing his face, and styling his hair before moving to his bedroom to change into the stiff and uncomfortable formalwear he loathed so much.

As he finished adjusting his tie and staring at himself in the full-length mirror, he heard his brother start to climb the stairs and call out, “Dongyeol! Come on, let’s go!”

“I’m coming!” He shouted back, hurrying to gather his things and meet Minsoo downstairs. 

“Yeolie, you drive me insane,” Minsoo chuckled, ruffling his brother’s hair. 

They walked to the car waiting for them in front of the house and Minsoo held the door for Dongyeol. He rolled his eyes at the action, but climbed in first anyway.

“Good morning, boys,” their driver, Kim Heechul, greeted them. 

“Morning, Heechul,” Minsoo said brightly as he secured his seat belt.

Dongyeol sat with his arms crossed, staring grumpily out the window.

“Mm, I see he’s not thrilled about work today,” Heechul commented out loud as they pulled out of the gates of the property. 

Minsoo laughed and nodded. “He never is.”

The ride was quiet for a few minutes. Minsoo kept himself occupied on his phone while Dongyeol was stubborn and continued to watch the passing scenery.

“Isn’t the gala this weekend?” Heechul asked innocently. Heechul had always hated the silence and tried to keep the boys engaged in conversation throughout their rides.

Minsoo glanced at his brother and watched his demeanor change. Dongyeol’s jaw clenched and he pushed his hair back irritatedly before shifting his body away to shut off any conversation aimed at him.

Minsoo sighed, but responded, “Yeah, it is. Dad’s been pretty tied up with it the last few weeks. That’s why we’ve in so many meetings and presentations lately- we’re filing in for him.”

Heechul, sensing the tension from the backseat, met Minsoo’s eyes. Minsoo slightly shook his head, signaling that it was a sensitive topic. 

Wanting to avoid conflict, Heechul decided silence was probably the better option today. 

Minsoo sat back and stared out the window himself, letting thoughts he’d been pushing away fill his head. 

He was nervous as hell. Not about the gala, no. He’d been groomed since he was a kid on how to handle business and events, but this was different. All the other chaebols, their stockholders, any worth a damn was going to be there.

_Including Han Gyujin._

The thought made his stomach churn. 

His family had always been close to the Han family. They were the wealthiest family in Korea, with the Han family trailing closely behind. Minsoo and Gyujin were the same age and their fathers had always agreed it was best for them to be close friends so they always had someone they could trust in the industry. 

They had been best friends most of their lives. Minsoo and Gyujin had been practically inseparable, whether it was work or at home or at school. 

Minsoo had even fallen in love with the younger. But that all seemed so long ago.

Gyujin hadn’t spoken to Minsoo or the other Lees since his parents were murdered, not that Minsoo blames him. 

The intense, consuming guilt tore through his thoughts and he blinked, realizing Heechul had parked and announced their arrival. 

“Thanks,” Dongyeol said gruffly as he got out on his own before Heechul had the chance to grab his door for him. 

Heechul grimaced but walked around and held the door open for Minsoo.

“Thank you, Heechul. We’ll see you later,” he bowed to the driver before following his brother.

Once he caught up, he nudged Dongyeol gently. 

“Yah, don’t be so rude to people. You know better.”

“I know,” Dongyeol sighed, “I’m sorry, hyung. I just feel like I’m always in such a sour mood here.”

Minsoo opened his mouth to reassure the younger, but as he started, he was interrupted by an aggravated cough. 

_Ahem._

The two looked up and caught sight of their father glaring down at them, arms crossed, brows furrowed.

 _“Shit,”_ Dongyeol mumbled quietly as they stopped in front of the man and bowed.

“You’re late. Again.”

Neither of the boys responded. Minsoo side-eyed his brother, urging him to say something. 

“Care to explain why?” Their father prompted impatiently.

Dongyeol clenched his jaw again, gritting his teeth harshly. Noticing the distress from his brother, Minsoo spoke up. 

“It’s my fault. I overslept and never told Dongyeol when we needed to be up. I’m sorry.” 

Minsoo heard the younger scoff and turned to see him rolling his eyes.

“We all know it was my fault for being late,” Dongyeol said dryly, then added a short, “Sorry,” before turning away from the two and heading to his office. 

“Always a temper with him,” their father complained lightly before ushering Minsoo to follow him.

“We have a busy day and we have to make up for the late start. I have some things we need to discuss in my office.”

Minsoo just nodded and followed his father.

Wooseok adjusted his glasses on his face before shuffling through the papers in his arms. Finding the packet he was searching for, he pulled it out and handed it to Minsoo to read. 

“This is last month’s financial spending report. Where’s the one for stocks?” Minsoo asked as he skimmed over the numbers.

Wooseok smiled tightly and responded, “Dongyeol hasn’t sent it in yet.” 

Both Minsoo and Changhyun frowned.

“Would you be so kind as to get it from him? He should be in his office,” Minsoo said, cutting off his father before he could make any annoyed comment.

“Of course,” Wooseok replied as he bowed before turning and leaving the executive’s office.

He stopped at his desk momentarily to drop off the extra reports and folders before hunting down the young rebel.

When he got to the doors of Dongyeol’s office, he knocked gently before entering. 

“Sorry for interrupting, but your father sent me for the stocks report that you were compiling. Do you have it finished?” Wooseok asked as he approached the wide desk. Dongyeol’s chair was turned, facing the window like he was trying to ignore his duties.

_Silence._

Wooseok sighed and rounded the desk to find the chair was empty.

“I don’t get paid enough for this,” he complained under his breath. He scanned the office for any clue as to where Dongyeol may have gone when he noticed the desk only had one stack of papers on it with a sticky note attached.

_Ta-Da._

“Ah, this kid,” Wooseok shook his head. “Where has he gone now?”

When he returned to the executive’s office, he wordlessly handed the report to Minsoo and turned to leave. 

“What did my son say was his reason for not turning his report in on time?” the CEO questioned as he flipped through the papers with Minsoo.

“Well, he didn’t say much. He wasn’t there,” Wooseok noted flatly.

Anger flashed in the Changhyun’s eyes and Wooseok almost laughed at the mischief he had stirred up. 

“He’s not there again?” Minsoo asked tiredly, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“I’m afraid not. But he seemed to have finished all of his assigned work for today.”

“Ah, okay. Thank you,” Minsoo said as he stood, then turned to address his father. “I’ll find him.” With a bow, he excused himself from the room.

“That boy will be the death of me,” Changhyun grumbled.

“He’s just keeping you on your toes,” Wooseok answered, trying to lighten the mood. 

“Regardless, I appreciate your hard work. I know it’s not easy being a babysitter to my _adult_ son all the time.”

Wooseok snorted, then asked, “Is there anything else I can get for you?”

“No, I’m okay. I can hold down the fort if you’d like to head home for the day,” Changhyun offered as he smiled.

“Thank you, sir.” Wooseok bowed and left the room. 

He gathered his things from his desk before shrugging on his coat.

As he left the building, he felt the familiar buzz of his phone in his pocket. 

He groaned as he answered the call. 

“What? You shouldn’t be calling me, I’m not back at the safe-”

The voice on the other end of the line interrupted him.

_“You need to get down here. We found something.”_


	3. Are You Drunk?

Minsoo slightly loosened his tie with one hand as he dropped his briefcase by his desk. He shrugged off the suit jacket and draped it over the back of the chair. After kicking off his shoes, he sighed and flopped backwards onto his bed. 

He felt the tension throughout his entire body. He stared at the ceiling and willed his body to relax, but he was so on edge, he couldn’t. 

There was so much going on at the moment. Between the heavy workload from his father, preparations for the gala, picking up his brother’s slack, and having mixed feelings about seeing the Han heir this weekend, Minsoo felt exhausted and overworked. 

He sat up on the bed and ran his hand over his face. He figured his friend would be at work and would listen to him vent as needed. 

Minsoo knew with having to get up early again the following morning, going out wasn’t a good idea. He knew it.

But it didn’t stop him from grabbing a jacket, patting his pockets to make sure his wallet and phone were secure, and heading down to his car.

Phoenix Nightclub was only about a fifteen-minute drive from the house. 

Minsoo parked his car in the garage across the street from the nightclub and crossed the street. He nodded to the bouncer, who immediately moved the rope for him and ushered him through. 

The club was pretty well packed for a weekday. Minsoo tried to avoid the people swaying and dancing to the music as he made his way to the bar.

Upon seeing the bartender, Minsoo smiled and sat down on one of the barstools. 

“Sooil, hey!”

The bartender turned at his name and grinned, responding warmly, “Hey, stranger. Haven’t seen you around lately.”

Minsoo groaned and pushed his hair back as he leaned on the bar.

“I told you about the gala before, right? Well, it’s this weekend and everyone’s so damn focused on making it perfect that we’ve been working nonstop, on top of our normal workloads.”

Sooil nodded as he slid his friend his normal drink and said, “Ah, sounds miserable.”

“I’m used to working, that isn’t the issue.” Minsoo took a sip from the glass and grimaced as the liquid burned its way down his throat. “It’s _who’s_ going to be there that’s the problem.”

“I thought a big-bad chaebol’s son like you could handle anyone,” Sooil teased, winking as he took an empty glass from beside Minsoo and wiped the counter. 

“Yah, it’s not that,” Minsoo said. He took another swig from the glass.

“So it must be about Him, hmm?” Sooil pushed delicately, meeting the other’s gaze.

Minsoo went quiet as he stared down at his glass and swirled the drink in his hand.

“I don’t know what to say to him,” Minsoo spoke up after a moment. “It’s not like we just had an argument or anything. It’s my fault.”

Sooil hummed and shook his head.

“You’re so stubborn, you know. I thought you came here to see me, not sit and wallow in self-pity.”

The comment made Minsoo huff in amusement. 

“You’re so full of yourself. Not everyone comes up to the bar to look at those pretty eyes.”

It was Sooil’s turn to laugh as Minsoo downed the rest of the alcohol.

“Whatever you say, baby,” Sooil said, smirking as he moved down the bar to serve another patron. Minsoo felt his cheeks flush at the comment but blamed the rush of the alcohol.

After a few minutes, Sooil returned and took Minsoo’s glass.

“If you want my opinion, I don’t think he’ll last a full ten minutes in the same room as you before caving,” Sooil offered as he handed Minsoo a new drink. “You were his best friend, you’ve always been there for him, and I don’t think anyone could resist that cute little face of yours.”

Minsoo made a noise and reached out to lightly punch his friend. 

Sooil laughed as he dodged the action. 

“So what is the gala about again? You never really told me,” Sooil asked innocently as Minsoo took a large gulp of the drink.

“It’s just basically a big party, but they disguise it as a charity event so they don’t look flashy. This one’s a silent auction and all the richest chaebols and families from around the country will be there. Everyone’s all dressed up and bring these big expensive items to auction off during the night. Lots of money involved. It’s a different way for all these old men to brag about their wealth,” Minsoo rambled. 

Sooil tried not to be overly amused by the slight slur of his friend’s words. Minsoo had always been a bit of a lightweight with alcohol.

“Then, towards the end of the night, everyone gathers and listens to these drawn-out speeches about prosperity and good health and bullshit like that. The money and new prizes sit forgotten since the entire thing isn’t really even about charity anyway. Most of the people are drunk by then and party until their assistants and secretaries force them to leave. The entire thing is incredibly stupid and fake; if they wanted to drink and party, they could do it without the pretense of doing something ‘good’.”

Sooil nodded as he listened carefully to Minsoo. 

“Rich people and their money, mm?” Sooil joked and Minsoo agreed silently as he finished his second drink.

###### 

The night passed by in a blur and before Minsoo realized it, the club was closing down and Sooil was leading him out. 

“Quit moving so fast, my head’s spinning,” Minsoo whined as Sooil dug for his own keys in his pocket.

“I’m not even moving right now, sweetheart.”

Minsoo murmured a quiet, “Oh,” before trying to find his set of keys.

“Hell no. You think I’m gonna let your drunk ass drive home right now?” Sooil scolded playfully. He reached forward and caught Minsoo’s hand in his own. 

He carefully pulled Minsoo towards his car. As Sooil went to open the door for him, Minsoo’s foot caught the back of his leg and he fell forward with a squeak. Sooil turned at the noise and found himself wincing as his back made contact with the car. He caught the younger man, one hand on Minsoo’s upper arm and the other on his waist, steadying him. Minsoo laid his head in the crook of Sooil’s neck and it took a second for the world to stop spinning. 

“Be careful,” Sooil said softly, close enough to Minsoo’s ear to give him goosebumps.

Minsoo took a step back and muttered, “Thanks,” before meeting Sooil’s intense stare. 

They locked eyes for a moment before Sooil’s gaze drifted down to Minsoo’s lips. Then he took a step forward. Minsoo unintentionally held his breath. 

Sooil’s thumb brushed against his cheek. Then he smirked.

“It’s late. Get in the car.” 

Sooil opened the car door and guided him into the front seat with a hand on the small of his back.

The ride back was quiet, except for the music playing softly over the speakers. Sooil’s hand rested lazily on Minsoo’s thigh, occasionally drumming his fingers. 

Minsoo felt warm. He wanted to blame it on his heavier coat and the alcohol, but he wasn’t sure if that was the case.

Sooil pulled into the winding driveway. Once the car was parked, he was at Minsoo’s side to escort him up the stairs and into the house. 

Minsoo fumbled with his keys, but managed to unlock the door and the two stumbled inside.

“Can you make it to your room without hurting yourself, baby?” Sooil cooed. 

Minsoo felt his cheeks heat up. Before Minsoo could reply, footsteps echoed down the stairs and through the hallway. Dongyeol turned the corner and stopped abruptly.

“Hyung,” Dongyeol glared at his brother.

“I just wanted to make sure he got home safe,” Sooil said with a disarming smile. “Goodnight.”  
Then he turned on his heels and saw himself out.

Minsoo wavered in his spot and reached for the wall to steady himself. Dongyeol’s eyes narrowed. 

“Are you _drunk?_ ” Dongyeol accused, crossing his arms.

Minsoo didn’t reply.

“Hyung, where the hell have you been? Do you know how late it is? Don’t you realize we have work in a few hours?”

Dongyeol’s displeased tone struck Minsoo, but he didn’t understand it.

“You’ve been gone for hours. I didn’t know where you were or if you were okay. You could’ve been in an accident or something and I had no idea.”

“You’re so quick to criticize me about disappearing but don’t think twice before you do it yourself?” Minsoo challenged, feeling anger bubble up in his chest. “Where were _you_ today?”

“What does it matter? It’s not like you came looking for me anyway. I finished my work and I left- I didn’t just _disappear_ ,” Dongyeol argued back, dropping his arms to his sides and approaching his brother. 

Minsoo scoffed and shook his head. 

“That just makes it excusable then, right?” Minsoo said sarcastically. “You knew we’ve been working our asses off and needed to discuss the gala. You didn’t even check with us before you left.”

“I didn’t need to _ask permission_ to leave- you’re not my boss. And if you haven’t noticed, I’m a bit more responsible than you and Dad give me credit for,” Dongyeol said, moving closer until he was in his brother’s face.

“Then _fucking act like it!_ ” Minsoo spat as he shoved his brother, causing Dongyeol to stumble backward. 

Dongyeol stared incredulously at Minsoo. 

“Fuck you,” Dongyeol growled as he turned and started for his room. 

Minsoo felt a sudden rush of regret and called out, “Dongyeol, wait.”

Dongyeol whipped around. Minsoo could see the hurt across his brother’s face and what may have been a tear down his cheek.

“I’m just _so sorry_ I can’t be such a perfect fucking son like you,” Dongyeol snarled before storming off.

The guilt Minsoo felt was paralyzing and he reached for the wall again, this time using it to slide to the floor. His head hit the wall and he raked his hair back with both hands. His vision started to blur and he was too tired to fight the tears that followed.

_Fuck._  



	4. But To Die A Traitor AND A Liar?

Hwanhee paced around the room patiently, his attention drawn to the center. He dragged a metal bat behind him and listened to the metallic _clink clink_ as it bounced off the ground with every step.

He stared at the man in the middle of the room, secured tightly to a chair. He was still unconscious, but Hwanhee hadn’t had his turn with the traitor yet. 

He stopped his pacing and shot forward, roughly kicking the leg of the chair to rouse him. 

The man slowly began to come to, his breath labored. 

“Ah, Park Jinyoung, did you get your beauty rest?” 

Jinyoung groaned lowly in pain before he coughed, blood painting his pale lips. The man was battered and beaten, covered in brightly-colored bruises and lacerations. He was slouched forward, his weight against his restraints.

“ _Tsk tsk._ Silence won’t save you now,” Hwanhee sneered. Using one finger, Hwanhee tipped his chin up to face him.

“Much better. Now I can see the true face of a traitor.”

The man clenched his jaw tightly as Hwanhee absentmindedly swung the bat. 

“I’m sure you’ve heard the stories of what happens to people like you, hmm? Cheats and traitors and anyone else that dares to betray us,” Hwanhee said as he circled the chair again. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jinyoung answered, glaring. 

Hwanhee chuckled darkly and retorted, “So I’m an idiot now?”

The man kept quiet this time, holding his glare. Hwanhee used his bat to lower himself and he crouched in front of his prisoner. Jinyoung spit at Hwanhee, lunging forward in anger.

Hwanhee inhaled sharply and moved suddenly, striking the other across the face. 

“I’d have a little more fucking respect,” Hwanhee growled as he gripped the man’s face roughly. “It’s such a shame that a pretty face like yours is about to be six feet under.”

Jinyoung visibly paled at the comment and Hwanhee snickered. 

“Did you think you were getting out of here alive?” he teased as he ran his thumb over the other’s lip. “That’s precious.” 

“ _I didn’t fucking do anything!_ ” he roared as he thrashed against the chair.

“Do you really think you’d be where you are right now if you didn’t do something?” 

Hwanhee stood and moved behind the traitor. 

The room grew silent, save for Jinyoung’s harsh breaths, and he strained to hear any noise that would give away his captor.

Suddenly, the bat clanged loudly to his left and he jumped. 

“Don’t be so skittish, Princess,” Hwanhee cooed behind him. The cold edge of a blade was brought to his neck and collarbone, caressing the skin as it was dragged. The action sent a chill down his spine and he fought the shiver that accompanied it.

“In any normal instance, I’d love to see you react like this,” Hwanhee purred in his ear as his free hand wandered down, sliding down his chest to the hem of his bloodied shirt.

Jinyoung cried out when the blade of the knife cut into his shoulder. 

“I know you’re the rat.”

The elder froze. 

“You’re the one that’s been giving information to the police. Did you really think that we wouldn’t find out, that I wouldn’t find out?” Hwanhee asked. He dug the knife into Jinyoung’s thigh this time, laughing when the man whimpered in pain.

“But you didn’t _fucking do anything_ , right? There’s no honor in dying a traitor. But to die a traitor _and_ a liar? You’ll be lucky if your family has a body to bury.”

Jinyoung felt the panic rising in his chest. 

“P-Please, I-”

“Can explain?” Hwanhee cut him off, “I’m sure you can. But I’m tired of the bullshit. You’re gonna serve as a reminder to anyone else that thinks to cross us.”

Hwanhee cut the bindings in one swift motion. But before Jinyoung understood what was happening, he was shoved forward off the chair and onto the floor. He gasped in pain, rolling onto his side to try to breathe. But an unexpected kick to the stomach rendered him breathless. 

“You want to act like a rat, you’re going to die like a rat.”

Hwanhee kicked Jinyoung again, who sobbed in pain, before dropping onto him to straddle his waist. Hwanhee wrapped both hands around Jinyoung’s neck and pushed down, cutting off his airway.

The man sputtered underneath him, Jinyoung trying desperately to pry Hwanhee’s hands away. But Hwanhee’s anger fueled him.

“Beg for me. Beg me to spare you,” Hwanhee breathed as he squeezed harder. 

“Fuck...you,” Jinyoung choked, clawing at the fingertips crushing his windpipe.

“ _Beg_ ,” Hwanhee demanded through gritted teeth.

Jinyoung tried to open his mouth to speak again but faltered. 

Hwanhee could see the panicked, crazed look in the traitor’s eyes as he realized he had missed his opportunity; _he was going to die._

When the man underneath him fell limp, Hwanhee loosened his grip and he shifted away from the body.

He closed his eyes and leaned forward into his hands, which trembled.  
He tried to steady his breathing and calm himself down.

He _hated_ this. 

He hated the kill. He could be threatening, a dangerous force to reckon with. But it was mostly an act; the confidence and skills needed to instill fear and gain respect was easy enough to learn. But the actual _killing_ , taking someone else’s life, wasn’t something you could train your body and mind to accept.

He avoided staring at the body as he calmed down and set the scene of the crime. He grabbed a gas can from the corner of the room and began to pour it. Once the room was saturated and a trail led outside, Hwanhee got into the car. With his hands still shaking, he flicked the zippo lighter open and tossed it onto the ground from the window. Flames flickered brightly as it chased the trail of gasoline into the house. Hwanhee put the car in drive and quickly got out of harm’s way. He willed himself not to get emotional as he glanced in the rearview mirror and saw the house engulfed in fire.

Once he was a safe distance away, he pulled his car over on the side of the road and dug his flip phone out from his pocket. He dialed the familiar number and listened to it ring.

_“Yes?”_

“It’s done,” Hwanhee said numbly as he heard sirens in the distance. He watched the smoke from the fire rise into the sky and listened as the first responders began to arrive at the scene.

 _“What a good boy,”_ the voice on the other end praised. _“Since you’re done with your assignment, stop by and see me.”_

“Yes, sir.”

###### 

Jinwook had just settled into the couch with a cup of coffee when his phone started to ring. He sighed, but set the mug down and stood to grab his cell phone.

“Hello?” he answered irritably.

 _“It’s me,”_ his partner said, sounding a bit out of breath. _“Listen, I know you probably just got home and I was supposed to be off an hour ago but you need to come see this. It’s bad.”_

“What happened?” Jinwook questioned, balancing his phone between his ear and his shoulder as he pulled his shoes and jacket back on.

_“They’re not exactly sure yet; they’re still trying to put out the fire. But from what we understand, it’s a case of arson. They think someone was stuck inside.”_

“Shit,” Jinwook muttered as he locked the door to the apartment and hurried down the stairs. 

_“Yeah. They think it’s related to the string of crimes recently.”_

“Do we ever get an off-day?” 

_“I know,”_ his partner said sympathetically, _“I know you’re tired. I’ll buy you dinner or something when we get this straightened out, okay?”_

“I’m holding you to that,” Jinwook said, smile apparent in his voice. “I’ll see you soon.”

###### 

It didn’t look good.

When Jinwook arrived, there were multiple emergency-response vehicles. Lights and sirens filled the atmosphere. Police tape was stringed across the property and there were a few officers pushing back the gathering crowd. He flashed his badge quickly as he lifted and crossed under the tape. 

“Detective Kim,” a fellow officer, Im Jaebeom, called out, “Didn’t expect to see you- I thought you went home for the day.”

“I thought so too,” he replied with a shrug. “What’s going on?”

“We’re not too sure ourselves” the officer replied, “We were told to come as backup and help with the crowd. There was supposedly an explosion or something. But your partner’s up there, closer to the house. He was one of the first to respond. I think there’s a witness.” 

Jinwook nodded a quick “thanks,” before taking off. It was a surprise the scorched house was still standing; the entire first floor was black, smoke still billowing out from the roof.

Jinwook spotted his partner talking to a teary-eyed woman, who held herself tightly.

“-But you didn’t see any kind of vehicle leave the property about the time you heard the explosion?” Sungjun questioned as he scribbled some small notes.

“No, I didn’t see anything. I heard the explosion, came outside to see what happened and the whole building was on fire.”

Sungjun noticed Jinwook waiting to the side and thanked the woman before flipping closed his notebook and nodding for a nearby officer to accompany her away from the scene. Then he jogged over to Jinwook.

“An explosion? Is that what she was saying?” Jinwook asked as Sungjun as he stopped next to him. Sungjun rolled his eyes.

“Hello to you, too.”

Jinwook poked him harshly, muttering, “Such a brat.” 

Sungjun smiled for a moment before turning to look at the remains of the house. 

“It was intentional, no doubt in my mind. The fire department said it looks like a gasoline fire and all of the witness testimonies match up with it. We don’t know if anyone was here at the time; the fire department is making sure the place is stable before we’re allowed to investigate inside.”

Sungjun crossed his arms, deep in thought while Jinwook furrowed his brows.

“Who does the house belong to?”

“That’s the thing,” Sungjun replied as they started to walk towards the building, “It didn’t belong to anyone. Construction only finished about a week ago. The realtors didn’t even have time to try to sell the damn place.”

They waited near the front of the house for a moment, looking for any other possible evidence when the captain of the fire department exited the building and approached the detectives. 

“Did you find anything? Are we able to investigate?”

“The structure is stable, although we suggest severely limiting the amount of people inside at once. The entire building received damage and, while it’s not going to fall in on you, it’s still dangerous.”

Jinwook nodded. “Sounds great, we’ll head in.”

“Wait, detective,” the captain called and both Sungjun and Jinwook paused. 

“I think you’re going to be opening a criminal investigation. There’s a victim inside.”

Sungjun swore and Jinwook frowned, but nodded as they moved into the building, pulling a protective mask onto their faces. 

They were extremely cautious as they moved around the debris. Ash flew into the air and scattered as they walked.

Once they reached the entrance of the room with the victim, they stilled and each took a moment to compose themselves. 

“Christ,” Sungjun muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose through the mask. “They don’t teach you about the _smell._ ”

“Shut up,” Jinwook said half-heartedly as they finally stepped into the room. 

They observed the room for any extraneous details, but it was nearly impossible to tell what anything was supposed to be before the fire. They heard the crime scene team by the front door and decided to step back out. But as Jinwook turned, his foot accidentally scraped against something on the floor and kicked it a few inches in front of him.

“Sungjun-ah, wait. Come here.”

Jinwook drew a handkerchief from his pocket and squatted down, carefully lifting the object. 

“What is it?” Sungjun asked as he stopped next to his partner.

Jinwook examined it and said, “It looks like a wallet.”

The wallet was singed and discolored, but otherwise looked unharmed. Jinwook flipped it open and his eyes grew wide as he read the name on the license.

“ _Shit_ , is that Jinyoung hyung?” Sungjun gaped, nearly falling over the other man.

“If it was him, then someone went to great lengths to pull this off.”

They left the room as their team entered, giving them more space to work.

“I thought hyung was in witness protection,” Sungjun hissed, his composure slipping slightly. 

“He was,” Jinwook stated simply. 

They stepped out of the building and towards officer Im. 

“Do you have an evidence bag on you?” Jinwook asked, motioning towards the wallet wrapped in the handkerchief.

The officer gently took it from Jinwook’s hands and said, “I’ll make sure it’s taken care of. Go home.”

The two of them hung around for a few minutes more but they’d have to wait until the team finished with the room and victim before they could do much else. Sungjun walked Jinwook to his car.

“Do you really think it was them?” Jinwook asked as he opened his door. 

“It sure as hell sounds like it.”

Jinwook sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. “I was really hoping things would settle down and I could get a _little_ bit of sleep soon.”

Sungjun groaned loudly and complained, “There’s going to be so much fucking paperwork tomorrow.”

Jinwook sat in the driver’s seat and turned on the car, leaning out the window to look at Sungjun. He then lowered his voice and murmured, “I’ll meet you at home?” 

Sungjun pat the car twice and winked at his partner before heading to his own vehicle.

The drive home felt quick; Jinwook was so caught up in his thoughts, he had parked next to his apartment complex before realizing it.

Jinwook made his way inside and upstairs, fishing his keys from his pocket. He went to turn the key in the lock when a pair of arms wrapped around his stomach from behind, pulling him close. 

“Mm, what’s wrong, you big baby?” Jinwook asked, amused. 

“Work sucked. And I missed you, so I’m happy to finally be alone with you.”

Jinwook smiled as he opened the front door and lead the taller man inside.

Sungjun nuzzled his neck affectionately and Jinwook leaned against him. 

“You should go shower; you stink,” Jinwook teased.

Sungjun gasped dramatically and clutched his heart. “That hurt. But I guess I could...but only if you come with me, darling.” Sungjun smirked, ghosting his fingers over Jinwook’s waist.

“I’ll come with you, but only because I need to wash up too. _And_ you have to buy me dinner.”

Jinwook lightly pushed Sungjun towards the bathroom as the latter whined, “Wait, why do I have to buy?”

“‘Cause you promised me and I’m lazy.”

Sungjun rolled his eyes but leaned down and pecked his lips.

“Fine. But only because I love you.”


	5. Don't Good Boys Deserve Their Rewards?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> This chapter SLIGHTLY varies from the twitter version! This is a >>RATED R<< chapter!! 
> 
> Enjoy!

_“What a good boy,” the voice on the other end praised. “Since you’re done with your assignment, stop by and see me.”_

_“Yes, sir.”_

The line went dead and Hwanhee sighed, throwing his phone into the passenger seat. He was nervous; the uncertainty of the situation caused his palms to sweat slightly. 

He hadn’t had many interactions with his boss before. There were a few times he was brought along to meetings or with Sooil when the elder had things to do and needed help. But this was the first time he was asked to see his boss, in person and alone.

Hwanhee tried to push the nervousness away as he pulled away from the curb. 

He got held up by traffic for a bit and when he finally pulled into the parking lot of the condominium, he rushed into the building, flashed an ID, and skidded into the elevator. It seemed like an eternity as the elevator climbed the condominium one floor at a time. Hwanhee flexed his hands anxiously.

When the elevator finally stopped at the penthouse level, Hwanhee took a second to straighten his clothes and compose himself. Then he stepped out. 

There were two bigger men in suits on either side of the front door, both wearing an earpiece. Hwanhee knew they both had at least one weapon strapped to them as well.

“Name?”

“Hwanhee,” he answered, moving his coat to show the men he didn’t have anything dangerous. 

One nodded to the other and they allowed him to enter through the door.

Hwanhee looked around as he slipped his shoes off. To say the penthouse was impressive was an understatement. His boss seemed to be more of a minimalist; there wasn’t useless furniture or an excessive amount of decor laying about. But Hwanhee could tell that the decorations present cost a pretty penny.

He moved forward through the hallway and towards the common area. He stopped at the end and cleared his throat, making his presence known. 

“Ah, Hwanhee, come in,” the voice summoned from the opposite side of the room. 

Hwanhee stepped forward and moved around the couch. There sat Seon Yein, the most dangerous man in all of South Korea.

He was sitting on the couch with one leg resting on top of the other, one arm lounged across the back of the couch, and a glass of brandy in his other hand.

“I’m glad you could make it,” Yein hummed. “I was starting to think you weren’t going to come.”

Hwanhee chuckled shyly. 

Yein smirked as his eyes raked up and down Hwanhee’s body. Hwanhee felt the urge to cover himself but resisted.

Yein downed the liquid from the glass before standing and moving towards a cart of liquor. 

“Would you like a drink?” Yein offered politely as he poured himself another. 

“I’m okay, thanks,” Hwanhee answered awkwardly, then asked, “Why did you want to see me, sir?”

Yein approached Hwanhee and continued to give him a once-over. Hwanhee fought not to fidget as he waited quietly.

“You know,” Yein started as he stalked around Hwanhee and dragged his fingers lightly across the younger’s back. “You’ve piqued my interest in ways the others haven’t.”

Yein’s hand moved down his spine. 

“You’re efficient.”

The hand moved back up and stroked the back of his neck. 

“Clever.”

Yein stepped back around and ghosted up the skin to Hwanhee’s throat, causing him to shiver.

“Loyal.”

The wandering hand slid down to his chest, tracing the dips of his collarbones.

“Intelligent.” 

Hwanhee felt the burning touch travel down to his waist and squeeze. 

“Not to mention beautiful.” 

Hwanhee’s stomach flipped at the compliment and he bit his lip, unsure of what to do.

Yein smirked and stepped back, commenting, “You look a bit flushed. Are you sure you don’t want that drink?”

Hwanhee nodded rigidly.

Yein moved back to the liquor cart and poured Hwanhee’s drink. Hwanhee took a deep breath and tried to calm the anxiety and heat in the pit of his stomach. 

After handing the glass to the younger male, Yein motioned for Hwanhee to take a seat. He complied and sat, his back stiff against the cushion. When he took a sip, he tried not to flinch at how strong his drink was.

“When Sooil picked you up off the streets, I doubted his intuition. Teenagers brought in hardly do more than run drugs and I thought he was being a bit ambitious. But you proved to be more than one of those rookies. You’ve surpassed all of my initial assumptions about you,” Yein said, standing across from Hwanhee in front the seat he previously occupied. 

His right hand came up to the collar of his shirt and he popped the top two buttons open with ease.

“Even now, you’re surprising me with each passing day. Your loyalty is unwavering and your work is clean,” Yein commended. 

Hwanhee felt the heat from his stomach crawl up his neck and into his cheeks. He took a long sip from his drink.

“Even Sooil wasn’t as skilled when I met him- he took more time to refine his talents and become as valuable as he is to me now.”

Yein stared at Hwanhee as he slowly stripped off his jacket, letting it fall down his arms before he folded it in half, took a few steps towards the younger, and threw it over the back of the couch. 

Hwanhee gulped at the close proximity between he and his boss.

“I meant what I said about you being beautiful, too,” Yein said slyly as he rolled up his sleeves. Hwanhee _definitely_ blushed that time and he looked down at the floor to hide it.

“Uh-uh,” his boss breathed as he stepped forward again. Yein pressed on Hwanhee’s forehead with two fingers and pushed it back, forcing the other to meet his eyes.

“That’s much better.”

Hwanhee, wanting some other excuse to look away, finished his drink slowly.

That idea seemed to backfire. Once the glass was empty of liquid and posed no threat to staining the couch or carpet, Yein knocked it out of Hwanhee’s hands and sent it rolling out of sight. In the same breath, Yein leaned forward with one arm outstretched and pinned Hwanhee in between himself and the couch.

“W-what are you doing?” Hwanhee asked, leaning back and trying to escape Yein’s gaze.

“Don’t good boys deserve their rewards?” 

Hwanhee could feel Yein’s stare burning into the stretch of his neck. He squirmed a little, trying to anticipate Yein’s next move. 

But Yein had predicted that Hwanhee would fight back and slotted his knee in between the younger’s thighs, pinning the other in place.

“I-uh-um-”

Yein cut the sentence off, leaning forward and nipping at the spot under the curve of Hwanhee’s jaw. 

Hwanhee jerked and gasped softly. The reaction made Yein grin mischievously, “I didn’t know you had a thing for men.”

Before Hwanhee had a chance to answer, Yein leaned back in, kissing and licking down Hwanhee’s neck. At a particularly sensitive spot in the crook of his neck, above the dip of his collarbone, Yein sucked and dragged his teeth across the skin. The dark mark stood out as a claim and Hwanhee felt a rush of arousal sparked throughout his body. 

Yein’s free hand came down onto Hwanhee’s knee and pried the younger male’s legs open more. He ran his hand up Hwanhee’s inner thigh, causing the other male to jump and reach to grab Yein’s bicep and shoulder. 

When Yein’s hand stopped, he looked down. A devilish smile flashed across his face as he purred, “What a _good boy._ ” 

Hwanhee blinked and followed Yein’s eyes downward. What he saw sent a wave of humiliation crashing over him at the way his body had betrayed him without him noticing. When he lifted his eyes, he met Yein’s piercing gaze. 

“Getting so hard for me already,” Yein cooed as he cupped Hwanhee’s cheek, “Do you need some help?”

Yein’s hand tugged at the hem of Hwanhee’s untucked shirt before sliding underneath to play with the soft skin. After a moment of silence, Yein pulled his hand out and pinched Hwanhee’s hip, saying, “Answer me.”

Hwanhee felt dizzy; between the arousal burning through his body, the alcohol in his veins, and the pure confusion of the entire situation, Hwanhee genuinely didn’t know if he wanted the “help” or not.

Another moment of silence passed and Yein moved quickly. He grabbed a handful of hair and yanked Hwanhee’s head back, the younger emitting a yelp. 

“When I ask a question, I expect an answer,” Yein growled. “I’ll let it slide once, but I won’t be so easy on you next time.”

“Y-yes sir.”

Yein rolled his neck and shoulders, satisfied with the response, and praised, “That’s my good boy.” 

He released his hold on Hwanhee’s hair and ran his fingers through the locks, massaging the area where he had inflicted pain.

“Do you want me to touch you, Hwanhee?” 

Hwanhee felt breathless as he felt Yein’s hand play with the waistband of his slacks. He didn’t want to stay quiet and instead hummed in response.

Yein chuckled as he shook his head. He leaned forward until his lips were ghosting the outside of his ear.

“I want to _hear you._ ”

Yein moved his hand down from the waistband and hovered over the younger’s bulge teasingly. Then, he groped the other firmly, peering into Hwanhee’s eyes as he reacted. 

Hwanhee’s hips unconsciously bucked into the touch, back arching. A broken whimper tore from his lips before had the chance to stop it. 

_“Please.”_

Yein’s eyes flashed wickedly as a smirk stretched across his lips. He squeezed a second time, watching as Hwanhee’s eyes rolled back. 

A moan escaped this time, Hwanhee’s cheeks brightening at the noise.

“If only you had answered me the first time.”

Yein immediately pulled back and moved away, straightening his clothes as he stood. 

“Would you look at the time? I have a meeting I need to be at. You can see yourself out.” 

Then, gathering his suit jacket from the couch, he left Hwanhee alone in the room.

Embarrassment seared through his entire body as he managed to stand, adjust himself, and leave the condominium without a word to anyone. 

He sped home, any alcohol in his system from earlier had simmered out. Once he got inside his apartment and locked the door, he rushed to the bathroom and glanced in the mirror. Hwanhee groaned at the dark bruise on his neck. 

He turned on the shower, hoping to wash away all the shame he felt. 

Hwanhee stepped into the stream of water, letting the spray warm his skin. He leaned forward and rested his forehead on the wall, mumbling aloud, “What the fuck was that about?”


	6. I Have A Job For You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to let you know- this chapter was too long for the entire thing to be posted on twitter as is, so we split it into two~

The day was hectic before the boys had woken up. The gala had finally arrived and neither of them wanted anything to do with it.

Minsoo barely heard the shrill blaring of his alarm through his hazy thoughts. But after a few moments of the insistent noise in his ears, he reached out and shoved the clock from the nightstand. He was fortunate enough that the fall caused it to come unplugged. 

His mind was fairly quiet, save for the thoughts of how tired he was. He had been nonstop all week between work errands for his father and preparations for the gala. It had been mostly him putting in the extra work, since he and Dongyeol hadn’t spoken much since their fight. The air at home was still and tense.

A pang of guilt settled into Minsoo’s stomach and he sat up, hoping to push it away for now. He sighed heavily and swung his legs over the side of the bed, getting up to retrieve the clock. 

He decided to shower before breakfast, wanting to get it out of the way sooner rather than later. He took longer in the shower than usual, letting the hot water soothe his sore and fatigued muscles. 

Once he was finished, he let his damp hair hang in his eyes and got dressed, pulling on a t-shirt and sweats. Then, he made his way downstairs.

Minsoo walked into the kitchen and was surprised to see Dongyeol sitting at the bar, eating a bowl of cereal. He didn’t look up to greet his brother; instead, he seemed to sink into the stool he was sitting on and buried himself into the bowl. Minsoo grimaced but walked to the other side of the bar and started pulling ingredients to make his own breakfast. 

When he was almost done making an omelette, he heard a _clang_ of dishes in the sink and looked up to see Dongyeol setting the bowl down and walking away without a word.

Minsoo sighed again, his heart aching a bit at how he and his brother were behaving towards each other. He knew he needed to fix things with the younger before tonight- he loved his younger brother and hated that they had been fighting for days. 

Plus, their father would probably kick them both out if he saw them acting that way at the gala.

Minsoo sat down to eat his breakfast as his mind ran through different ways to apologize to Dongyeol.

###### 

Minsoo gently rapped on the door. 

He had finished getting ready- tux clean and neat, hair styled and slicked back- and thought it was a good time to try and talk to Dongyeol.

“Come in.”

Minsoo twisted the knob and entered the room. Dongyeol looked up in the mirror. When he saw it was Minsoo, he huffed quietly and worked on tying his bowtie. 

“Dongyeol.”

The younger didn’t answer. 

“Yeolie,” Minsoo pushed, taking another step into the room.

Dongyeol still didn’t answer, cursing under his breath as he tried the bowtie again.

Minsoo walked over to his brother and gently turned him so they were facing each other. His hands came up to the fabric that hung around his neck.

“What are you doing?” Dongyeol grumbled, letting his hands fall to his sides.

“Helping,” Minsoo replied as he straightened out the wrinkles before setting to work.

It was quiet for a moment before Minsoo said, “I’m sorry.”

Dongyeol stayed silent as he lifted his chin, giving his brother room to help with the bowtie.

“I know I was out of line the other night. I didn’t mean anything that I said. I was stressed out and tired and _drunk_ \- and we both know I’m an idiot when I’m drunk,” Minsoo continued. “You are very responsible. You’ve never turned in a bad report or done anything reckless that shows negatively on the company. I’m sorry I said what I did.”

Minsoo straightened the now-perfect bowtie and took a step back, allowing Dongyeol to turn and look at himself in the mirror. 

“I know that you and Dad are the typical get up, go to work, nine-to-five work day type of people, but I’m not. I work differently than you do. I have a different style and pace and I know I can’t be what Dad wants, but that doesn’t mean I’m not useful,” Dongyeol sighed, turning to face his brother again. “It’s one thing that Dad doesn’t want to acknowledge the hard work that I do and put in. But it really hurts when you don’t see it either. I’m trying.”

Minsoo pulled his brother into a hug, his one hand coming up to stroke the back of his head. Dongyeol rested his chin on his brother’s shoulder and listened to his brother apologize a few more times.

“It’s okay, hyung. You didn’t lose your place as favorite yet,” Dongyeol teased lightly as he pulled away and straightened his clothes. 

As Minsoo opened his mouth to answer, their father called upstairs, “Boys! Are you done getting ready yet? We still have a few more things that need to be finished before guests start showing up! Can I get your help?”

“We should get down there before the old man hurts himself,” Dongyeol joked as he and his brother moved toward the door.  
Minsoo’s phone started ringing from his pocket and he stopped moving, momentarily confused.

“Ah, do you need to get that, hyung?”

“Mmm, probably. I’ll be down in just a second. Just go make sure Dad’s not doing anything rash, okay?” Minsoo laughed as he separated from his brother to take the phone call in his room.

“Hello?” He answered, not recognizing the number.

_“Ah, Minsoo. How nice to speak to you again.”_

At the familiar voice, a chill ran through Minsoo’s entire body. 

“Who is this?” Minsoo demanded, clicking the lock on his bedroom shut.

 _“Here I thought you’d be happy to hear from me, sweetheart,”_ the voice snickered, a bit distorted over the line.

Minsoo felt nauseous. Last time he got this phone call… He tried to shake off the feeling.

“What the hell do you want? I thought you were going to leave me alone.”

The voice chuckled darkly. _“That’s adorable. But we’re not done with you yet.”_

Minsoo clenched his eyes shut, praying it was a nightmare he was sitting in and that he’d wake up any moment. He was jarred from his thoughts when the voice called out, _“I have a job for you.”_

“You’ve done enough damage,” Minsoo snapped, trying to keep his voice low. “I did what you wanted before and it still blew up in my face.”

 _“Almost literally, hmm?”_ the voice answered coldly. _“And you’re wrong there, pretty boy. You_ didn’t _do what I wanted and that’s why those poor people had to die. I bet your boyfriend doesn’t know that tiny detail, huh?”_

“Shut the fuck up,” Minsoo growled, ignoring the pinpricks of guilt on his skin. 

_“Aw, I didn’t hurt your feelings, did I?”_

Minsoo stayed silent, seething as he listened to the voice mock him.

 _“Well, here’s your shot at redemption. That gala tonight- the very one your family happens to be hosting- is an important opportunity for us. Rather, an important_ financial _opportunity for us. So you’re going to get some money for us.”_

“I already gave you money.”

Another chuckle. Minsoo felt another chill race down his spine.

_“Yes, but we have outside sources telling us there will be quite a large sum of money present tonight. And that’s more than you gave us before, isn’t it?”_

“And if I don’t?” Minsoo challenged through gritted teeth.

_“Ah, if you can’t complete your job or you otherwise refuse, there are consequences. There are always consequences. Last time, your boyfriend’s parents died. This time, we’d let him join them. Not like he has much to lose, hmm?”_

“Don’t you fucking touch him!” Minsoo snarled, “If you fucking touch him, I swear I’ll-”

 _“You’ll what?”_ The voice laughed wickedly. _“It’s not like you know who I am. You wouldn’t know it was me if I was standing in front of you.”_

Minsoo tried to calm himself down, not wanting the person on the other end of the line to get a reaction out of him again.

“How am I even supposed to get that kind of money out? I’ll be the most watched person at the gala tonight. And even if I wasn’t, I won’t be able to move money like that without getting noticed.”

_“Sounds like a bit of a personal problem. But we have eyes everywhere- a fancy party isn’t an exception. If you can’t finish your job, that pretty-faced boyfriend of yours won’t even make it home.”_

Minsoo bit his tongue to keep himself from saying anything else.

_“You know what you have to do. You know the consequences. We’ll be in touch soon. Don’t fuck up again.”_

The line went dead.

###### 

Minsoo thought he’d crack from pressure at any moment. 

The stress of tonight was monumental enough when he was the host and expected to uphold a spotless appearance while socializing with all of their guests. He thought his biggest problem of the night was going to be what he should say to Gyujin.

Now, he had to figure out a way to sneak out thousands of dollars without getting caught while maintaining his image. He didn’t want anyone else to die because of him.

He wanted to vomit.

“Minsoo,” his father said as he straightened Minsoo’s bowtie and flattened the edge of his jacket, “Tonight’s very important for us.”

“I know.” 

“Mm. We have some potential international investors visiting tonight, as well as our other guests. This is crucial for us, for the future of the business.”

Minsoo felt dizzy.

“I’ll need your help to win them over. I’m not what I used to be,” Changhyun smiled. “You’re full of charm. I know they’ll love you-”

He was cut off by the doorbell ringing. 

“Ah. They’re here.” 

The arrival of the guests was blown into being one of the most important events of the night. Camera crews and photographers outside, limousines and expensive exotic cars, a lit walkway for guests to flaunt their outfits and dates outside. Minsoo and Dongyeol shared dissatisfied looks at the whole thing.

“Smile, boys. Play nice,” their father chided before moving to greet the guests entering their ballroom. 

“Hyung, tonight’s going to be so boring,” Dongyeol complained under his breath as he adjusted his cuffs.

“Ah, don’t be a brat,” Minsoo laughed as he poked his brother’s side. 

They moved through the sea of guests, welcoming them and making small talk. About business, about the family, about money. Minsoo found this to be the easiest part of the entire night. 

When Minsoo felt a bit winded from conversation, he made his way over to stand next to Wooseok. He was leaning on the wall, away from the majority of people, sipping from a glass in his hand.

“Everything okay?” Wooseok asked as Minsoo rested his head back against the wall.

“Yeah, I just need to catch my breath. So much talking makes me feel like I’m out running or something.”

Wooseok chuckled in agreement. He could feel the tension radiating off of Minsoo’s frame and saw the way he’d flex his knuckles every minute or so. 

“Is everything else okay?”

Minsoo smiled tightly. “Am I that obvious?”

“Maybe not to all of your guests. But I’m good at reading people.”

Minsoo sighed, trying not to let his face show how anxious he was.

“I’m just...stressed. There’s a lot going on tonight.”

“I heard your father saying there are other investors here tonight. Do you know from where?”

“China, France, I think maybe the United States,” Minsoo mumbled, watching the crowd intermingle and talk. 

“Big opportunities there,” Wooseok said noncommittally. There was a comfortable silence between the two. Minsoo always appreciated that about the secretary- he never pushed further than you were willing to be pushed.

The silence only lasted a moment before Dongyeol came jogging over to his brother.

“Hyung! Did you see him yet? Gyujin-hyung is here!”

Minsoo’s stomach dropped.

“I haven’t seen or heard from him since the accident,” Dongyeol commented, disappointment leaking into his voice. “I would’ve thought he fell off the face of the earth if I didn’t see him on the way to work now and then.”

“He’s busy,” Minsoo said dismissively. 

“Too busy for us?” Dongyeol asked, his tone dropping again. 

“He needs his time to grieve, Dongyeol-ah.”

Before his brother could say much more, he excused himself, muttering about using the bathroom and instructing the younger to go back and socialize. 

He left the ballroom as quickly as he could. But when he rounded the corner for the hallway leading to the bathrooms, he crashed into someone walking the opposite way. The other person was knocked backwards, immediately falling to the ground. 

“Oh, I’m so sorr-” Minsoo started before his voice got caught in his throat.

Han Gyujin was sitting on the ground, steadying himself with one hand, the other rubbing the shoulder he had accidentally slammed into Minsoo with. It took the younger a moment to look up. When he did, however, his eyes grew wide and his mouth fell open. 

Neither one of them looked capable of speech. They gaped at each other for a few seconds before Minsoo scrambled forward and helped Gyujin stand. 

“I-uh-I’m sorry. I w-wasn’t paying attention-I-um-”

“I should’ve been watching-I’m sor-uh-I-”

Minsoo watched a blush bloom across Gyujin’s cheeks. Before, he would’ve found it endearing. Now, it made him want to run in the other direction.

It took him another minute to realize he was still holding the other’s arm and hand. He dropped his arms and took a step back. 

Minsoo didn’t mean to stare, but he couldn’t help it. Gyujin looked almost the same as he did nearly a year ago: his eyes were the same color Minsoo loved, his hair falling into the same cowlicks as they used to, his lips still pink and slightly chapped. The only differences were the dark bags under his eyes and the deep furrow in his brows. He looked truly tired.

It was still the same Gyujin he was so in love with. 

Gyujin was staring back at him, blinking twice before he seemed to snap out of it and come to his senses. Minsoo heard a strained and sad  
_“I can’t do this right now,”_ before Gyujin pushed past him and disappeared into the ballroom. 

The feeling hit Minsoo harshly, momentarily knocking the breath out of him. He felt the world spin around him a little and he rushed into the bathroom, worried he might get sick in the hallway otherwise. 

A few minutes later, once he was sure he wasn’t going to lose his dinner, he made his way back into the ballroom. He knew he must still be a little pale from the curious glance Wooseok threw his way, but he ignored him and moved to an unoccupied spot.

Dongyeol must’ve been waiting for him to get back. As soon as he spotted his brother, he was walking over to him again. 

“Hyung! Why are you hiding out over here? I think- hey, are you okay?”

“I’m fine. Would you mind letting me be for a few minutes?”

Dongyeol frowned, studying the elder.

“What’s wrong?”

“Dongyeol-ah, please. Drop it for now.”

“But Gyujin-hyung is here! We should go say something to him, let him know-”

“Dongyeol, please,” Minsoo warned.

“I don’t understand why you won’t go talk to him, hyung. You didn’t do anything wrong. Why can’t you-”

“Dongyeol, shut up,” Minsoo snapped, staring at his brother. “Leave. Me. _Alone._ ”

Dongyeol blinked, taken back by his brother’s words. Then he muttered, “Fine. Have fun,” before storming away. 

Minsoo’s head spun again with all the stress and pressure on his shoulders and he wanted to be anywhere other than here.


	7. Play The Part

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part two of the Gala!
> 
> ~There's a little joke there at the end. If you get it, you get it. If you don't, you don't.~

Hwanhee was halfway done with his shower when his phone started to ring from the counter. 

He had just finished a task with some fellow members and he was grimy- he couldn’t wait to take a long shower and wash away the dirt and blood from the job. 

But when his phone began to ring, he knew he had to cut it early and answer. He stepped out, wrapping his towel around his waist, and answered.

“Hello?”

 _“Hey, it’s me,”_ Sooil greeted.

“Couldn’t this have waited? I’m still not clean from the last run you gave us,” Hwanhee whined, his voice rising in pitch.

Sooil chuckled, responding, _“Unfortunately, work doesn’t stop for us. Especially not tonight.”_

“What’s tonight?”

_“Important. I’m coming over, so please have some sort of clothing on.”_

Hwanhee sighed exasperatedly, but made a noise of agreement and hung up.

About ten, fifteen minutes later, Hwanhee heard the door to his apartment open and close.

“You are dressed, right?” Sooil called out as he left his shoes in the hall and ventured into the living room.

“And if I’m not?” Hwanhee teased in response from the bedroom.

“That doesn’t mean I’ll go home and you get a night off. I’ll just kick your ass first.”

Hwanhee walked into the living room and flopped down on the couch. Sooil stood in front of him, holding a garment bag. 

“What’s that supposed to be?”

“You’re so impatient, you know that?” Sooil nagged as he lay the bag across the back of the recliner. Then, he straightened and said, “You’ll need it for tonight.”

Hwanhee bit back the dirty comment he wanted to make and instead waited for the other to explain. 

Sooil withdrew a small notebook from his pocket and leaned to hand it to Hwanhee, who shot him a confused look but still reached to grab it.

He flipped the notebook open and recognized Sooil’s writing along the lines. Multiple pages were filled with writing and notes.

“So, now that I’ve waited at least a minute in between my questions, can you tell me what the job is tonight?”

Sooil rolled his eyes. “It’s not dirty work like the past couple of jobs have been. We need you to play Eyes tonight.”

“Where?” Hwanhee questioned as he began reading through the notebook

“Per the boss man: There’s a gala tonight on the other side of town, at the Lee residence. A charity event, lots of money involved. We have sources telling us that it’ll be left unsupervised for at least part of the night and we have someone in charge of getting it out. But he’s a little...apprehensive. I need you to make sure he does his job, because if he doesn’t, there are major consequences.”

Sooil reached over and handed Hwanhee a photograph.

“Oh, it’s him.”

Sooil made a noise, acknowledging him. Hwanhee continued to flip through the notebook which had his directions written out, as well as his alias for the night and instructions on how to blend in.

“So what’s in the bag, then?” Hwanhee asked.

Sooil smiled. “I know _you_ of all people don’t own a tux. So I got one made for you.”

“Aw, hyung. And here I thought you didn’t like me.”

“Who said I liked you? All I said is that your broke ass doesn’t have a tux.”

Hwanhee clutched at his chest like he was wounded and made a loud whining noise.

“That hurt.”

“You’ll survive.”

Hwanhee stood and unzipped the garment bag, looking at the clothes inside. After a second or two of staring, Sooil snickered.

“You don’t know how to put it on, do you?”

Hwanhee felt his cheeks warm up as he turned and glared.

“Does the baby need help?”

“I rather look up a tutorial, thanks.”

Sooil smiled again, leaning on the younger’s shoulders and throwing his arms around Hwanhee’s neck. “Don’t be like that. I didn’t come all the way over just to go right back home. I’ll make sure you look nice and have your shoes on the right feet.”

Hwanhee turned and smacked the other’s arm. Sooil turned away from him, laughing.

###### 

Hwanhee sat in the backseat of a shiny new Porsche. He had to keep up his made up reputation and his ‘driver’ was more than happy to show off his car. He one of the guys Hwanhee worked with fairly often, but he only knew the guy as Yesung.

“What time should I pick you up?” Yesung asked as they approached the property. 

“I have to make sure this kid gets his job done,” Hwanhee answered, adjusting his sleeves. “I don’t know a time yet, so I’ll have to call you when things are winding down.”

Yesung nodded from the driver’s seat.

Hwanhee took the opportunity to unlock his phone and look at himself in the camera. Sooil didn’t disappoint; he definitely made Hwanhee look like he belonged with this group of people. His hair was styled back away from his face and eyes, showing off his forehead. Sooil had convinced him to wear light makeup to even out his skin, make his eyes stand out, and make him seem like he was glowing. His tux was a perfect fit and accentuated his body. He just looked good.

“Yeah, yeah, you look pretty,” Yesung called out, teasing him slightly. “Now get out of my car.”

Hwanhee rolled his eyes but muttered, “Thanks,” before someone outside opened the door and he stepped out. 

Chatter erupted around him and he saw cameras flashing. There was a path cleared of all the snow that had fallen earlier in the day for everyone to walk up. He drew a charming smirk and waved politely a few times before adjusting his tux and walking inside. 

_Play the part._

He was a bit taken back by the size of the house and elegance of it all. It reminded him a bit of Yein’s penthouse, but it was _more._ More stretches of marble along the floor, more priceless paintings and decor across the walls, more everything. It was tasteful, but also resonated wealth. 

He shrugged off his coat and handed it to one of the hired staff, who took his fictional name, bowed, and took it to another room out of the way.

Hwanhee kept his cool as he moved through the entrance and followed the people moving further into the house. 

He spotted Minsoo, his target for the night, greeting an older couple with a sweet smile before he motioned them through a set of mahogany doors propped open. Once they passed, Hwanhee watched Minsoo’s face fall. The kid looked like he was starting to crumble a bit under stress. Hwanhee felt his stomach twinge, but he pushed the feeling away. Feeling bad for the heir wouldn’t help either one of them, especially not when his instructions for the night came from Yein himself.

Hwanhee watched as a another young man, probably younger than Minsoo, approach the heir. He couldn’t see his face; he had his back turned to Hwanhee as he talked to Minsoo. The two of them then walked into the ballroom and melted into the crowd. 

Hwanhee slowly made his way into the room, trying to look normal while being as invisible as possible. He stopped by the bar and got a drink, flirting with the bartender as she giggled and handed him his drink. 

Hwanhee quickly learned how bureaucratic and political and _boring_ these things really were. Sooil and the notebook had both explained there would be an auction and at some point, speeches and old men talking. But right now, it was so dull. 

He listened in to other conversations while he hung out at the edge of the crowd. It was all the same; what they were investing in, how the market was doing, how well spouses and children were learning and doing, so on and so forth. 

Hwanhee wanted to scoff and roll his eyes at most of these people. They sounded so artificial and well-rehearsed. He watched the way younger men and women- half of them barely out of their teenage years- were kept close to their parents or assistants and corrected when they weren’t acting perfectly. It made him feel sick. 

He found Minsoo again, rarely letting the other disappear for too long, and watched as he laughed and talked and flirted and charmed his way through conversations with everyone. Hwanhee watched as he’d move from person to person, instantly switching how he approached and talked to the individual. It was almost amazing how well he could read each person. 

And _sad._

Hwanhee frowned as he thought about how much training and grooming went into making Minsoo as charming and charismatic as he is now. The other must’ve definitely been under so much pressure for the night, on top of what he was supposed to do for the Mafia.

_Stop it._

Hwanhee had to mentally scold himself. He watched again as Minsoo leaned against one of the walls, talking to the younger boy again. Hwanhee still couldn’t see his face and he grimaced. 

Minsoo moved away and left the room. Hwanhee lingered nearby, standing in front of the lush table filled with desserts and pretty appetizers. 

When he felt eyes on him, he glanced up. 

At the other end of the table, a taller man studied him. He was dressed only in a suit, not a tux, but it was definitely tailored for him and still expensive. The man wore glasses and had a clipboard in his arms. He was thin, professional. He presence alone seemed to demand respect. He seemed important, even if he was dressed differently than everyone else and standing on the outskirts of conversation. 

They locked eyes and held their ground, both of them refusing to back down. 

However, the other man finally broke and looked past Hwanhee towards the door, his eyebrow shooting up in question.

Hwanhee followed his gaze and saw that Minsoo had reappeared. He was pale, eyes blown a bit. He looked at the other man for a second, but shrugged it off and walked away. 

The other man had a inquisitive expression across his face, obviously deep in thought as he watched the heir. Hwanhee took the opportunity to slip away and mingle. 

_Play the part._

He couldn’t shake the feeling of eyes watching him as he chatted with a few people, scripted lines spilling from his lips perfectly. He felt his movements being traced and decided to hide in the crowd and lay low for a bit. 

After about fifteen minutes, he managed to sneak away from the weight of lingering glances and made his way outside onto the balcony.

Hwanhee took a deep breath of cold, night air in and forced himself to relax. 

The man inside really put him on edge. All night, he had hidden in plain sight and blended in with everyone there. He had everyone convinced he was a foreign investor’s son, sent out since his father was ill and unfit to travel. He had learned all the lingo and replied with ease to all of their questions. He was confident and proud of himself. 

Then, that man had to stare at Hwanhee like he _knew_ he was an imposter. Hwanhee’s face dropped into an annoyed scowl. 

He was pulled from his thoughts when heard a sniffle. He lifted his head and peered around. 

Leaning against the railing of the balcony was a tall, younger guy. Hwanhee recognizes him as the one who had been near Minsoo half of the night. He was hunched over, his elbows were planted firmly on the surface and his hands were intertwined with one another. His chest rose and fell unevenly. Hwanhee heard another sniffle. 

Feeling like he was intruding in a personal moment and deciding he needed to get back to work, he tried to back away without being noticed. 

But, of course, he failed. 

He accidentally kicked one of the decorations that sat on the ground and heard it skid a few feet in front of him. 

The other literally jumped and turned to face Hwanhee, but the scare caused him to lose his footing with the snow on the ground. He started to fall backwards and Hwanhee was moving before he realized it.

He grabbed the other’s arm and tugged him forwards towards him, steadying him. 

The younger’s eyes were wide in shock and he gaped at Hwanhee.

“I didn’t mean to scare you, I’m sorry.”

Once the stranger was firmly standing and upright again, Hwanhee released his arm and took a step backwards.

“Uh, thank you for that. I’ve always been a little clumsy when I get startled.”

Then the other brought his hand up quickly to wipe his cheeks.

“Ah, I’m sorry,” he chuckled, his voice heavy with emotion. 

Hwanhee felt confused. 

He knew he needed to get back inside, but he pushed it away. _Just a minute won’t hurt._

“Why are you apologizing?” Hwanhee asked gently. “Are you okay?”

The raven-haired hummed, responding, “Allergies. They get to me this time of year. Miserable.”

Hwanhee felt his heart clench a little at the other’s obvious lie. His soft spot was showing- he didn’t want to see the kid cry. 

_He’s too pretty to be crying._

He cringed at his own thoughts. 

“You don’t _look_ okay. If it’s someone here that upset you, I could beat them up for you.”

The other giggled a little bit. 

Hwanhee liked the sound.

###### 

Dongyeol felt restless. Restless and irritated. 

He had to fight to keep a sour look off his face.

His father had pulled him aside and chewed him out for not being “social enough”, not being “enthusiastic enough”, overall appearing “lazy” and “uninterested” and needing to do _better._

Dongyeol had expected it to come eventually, but it still got under his skin regardless. 

The only thing Dongyeol really wanted to do now besides go to bed was talk to Gyujin. 

He hadn’t talked to the Han heir in nearly a year. The whole thing hurt Dongyeol to think about. 

He knew how bad it was for him and Minsoo to lose their mother. And even if they fought most of the time, Dongyeol was thankful their father was still with them and in good health. 

He couldn’t imagine the pain Gyujin went through losing _both_ of his parents in an instant. 

Dongyeol remembered how crucial Gyujin was for him and _especially_ Minsoo in grieving and becoming okay again. He couldn’t understand why his brother hadn’t even spoken to Gyujin in a year. He couldn’t recall being invited to the funeral. Or seeing him afterwards. The only thing he could think of is that Minsoo and Gyujin got into some kind of terrible fight.

Dongyeol sighed and pushed the thoughts away. He just wanted to find his brother again, maybe stick to his side and avoid getting on his father’s nerves anymore than he already has. 

He watched and waited for his brother to return from the bathroom before walking over to him. 

“Hyung! Why are you hiding out over here? I think- hey, are you okay?” Dongyeol said, seeing his brother’s flushed appearance. He wondered if the elder was getting sick or something.

“I’m fine. Would you mind letting me be for a few minutes?” Minsoo replied in a tight voice.

“What’s wrong?” Dongyeol pushed. He hated that his brother was being so dismissive of things lately.

“Dongyeol-ah, please. Drop it for now.”

Dongyeol felt a pang of agitation strike him.

“But Gyujin-hyung is here!” He persisted, “We should go say something to him, let him know-”

“Dongyeol, please,” Minsoo said, his voice dropping an octave. Dongyeol was becoming more and more confused. Why was his brother being like this?

“I don’t understand why you won’t go talk to him, hyung. You didn’t do anything wrong. Why can’t you-” 

He was interrupted when Minsoo grit out, “Dongyeol, shut up. Leave. Me. _Alone._ ”

Getting yelled at again in such a short period pushed him over the edge. He felt the anger and emotion bubble in his chest and he huffed, “Fine. Have fun.” Then, Dongyeol took off, wanting to get away from everyone and everything.

He didn’t really know where he was going. He just wanted to get away from all of it- his family, the gala, the expectations, the looks. He was so _sick of it_ all right now.

He ended up on the balcony, gulping down lungfuls of air to try and settle himself down. The emotion piling up was causing his chest to physically hurt. 

He went to lean on the railing, ignoring the small snow piles that had gathered. Dongyeol hung his head low, letting tears come and fall. 

Dongyeol wasn’t sure why he was crying. He didn’t _want_ to cry. But he didn’t have control over it as tracks covered his cheeks.

He cried for a few minutes in silence, the only giveaway being the droplets freezing underneath him and his labored breathing. 

He didn’t realize when someone else stepped onto the balcony. Not until he heard something get kicked over and bounce away.

Dongyeol jumped, his heart skipping a beat. He felt his weight shift when he tried to turn and see who was there. He slipped on the snow and suddenly, he felt himself falling backwards.

He didn’t have time to react before someone was reaching forward and grabbing his forearm and pulling him forward.

He regained his balance and looked at the man who saved him; he was an inch or two shorter than Dongyeol himself, fluffy brown hair that was styled elegantly, round glasses accenting his puppy-like eyes.

Dongyeol found himself staring at the other.

“I didn’t mean to scare you, I’m sorry.”

Dongyeol blushed a bit at himself and replied, “Uh, thank you for that. I’ve always been a bit clumsy when I get startled.”

Realizing he still had faint tear streaks on his cheeks, his hand shot up to wipe them away. 

“Ah, I’m sorry.”  
The other man furrowed his eyebrows in question. 

“Why are you apologizing? Are you okay?”

Dongyeol felt like he was making a fool of himself. 

“Allergies. They get to me this time of year,” he supplied, feeling like he was caught doing something wrong. Then he added, “Miserable.”

The man studied him for a second before his features softened.

“You don’t _look_ okay,” he commented. “If it’s someone here that upset you, I could beat them up for you.”

Dongyeol felt himself giggle at the comment.

“No, it’s really just my eyes being dumb. The cold weather makes my eyes dry up.”

The other man raised an eyebrow at him.

“You’re not a really good liar. You must not do it that often.”

Dongyeol felt embarrassment rise into his face.

“I-I mean, I just-I’m not-” Dongyeol stuttered out, his voice breaking at the end.

The other man must’ve sensed he upset Dongyeol. He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Dongyeol in a hug.

“I know you don’t know me and this could be weird, but I feel like you might need this and that this is the best thing to do in this situation.”

Dongyeol let his shoulders fall and accepted the gesture. He noted how nice the other smelled as he let his head rest against the elder’s.

After a moment, Dongyeol drew back and sighed. 

“Thank you for that. I… don’t really get that too often.”

The other man smiled a little before pulling his handkerchief from his pocket and handing it to Dongyeol.

“Just in case your ‘allergies’ start acting up again,” he laughed.

Dongyeol hesitated, but accepted it. The other man did a small bow and turned away, moving towards the door.

“Wait,” Dongyeol called out.

The other man halted in his step and faced the younger. 

“I didn’t even catch your name. I’m Dongyeol.”

The man took a second, appeared in thought, and said, “I’m Baekhyun. Nice to meet you.” 

There was a comfortable silence before the other- Baekhyun- spoke up, “Well, Dongyeol, I need to get back inside. I hope to see you again.”

Then he turned again and walked inside, leaving Dongyeol alone.

“I hope so too,” Dongyeol mumbled to himself, turning the handkerchief in his hands. He looked down and saw an embroidered “H” in the corner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TO CLARIFY BECAUSE WE ALSO CLARIFIED ON TWITTER-
> 
> Hwanhee is using an alias (a fake name) to keep his story consistent throughout the entire night. That's why he told Dongyeol a different name. Just so that's cleared up!


	8. Distraction? That Costs Extra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mature content ahead! More content than our twitter chapter! Enjoy~

Hwanhee shivered as he walked back inside from the balcony. 

The other, Dongyeol, had lifted his spirits a little and gotten his mind off of the man who had been staring right through him. 

He noticed that the ballroom was starting to empty some, guests filing in somewhere else for speeches and such. He took a look around and didn’t see Minsoo. Cursing slightly, he went to search for the other. 

After a few minutes of casually moving around and searching for the heir, Hwanhee decided to try looking in the bathrooms and hallways nearby. 

Hwanhee turned the corner to lead down another hallway when he was faced with the heir’s back. The other male seemed to be in distress; he was pacing back and forth, breathing heavily, running his fingers back through his hair and occasionally stopping to grip at the roots. 

Hwanhee took a step back so he was standing close to the wall and watched for a moment. He heard the other mumbling, “I can’t do this. I have no _fucking_ clue how to do this… I can’t let him _die_ …”

Hwanhee felt his stomach drop. Was the heir falling apart because of the mission? And did he say something about someone dying?

The pieces started to click into place for Hwanhee. Minsoo’s consequence for not completing this mission was someone close to him dying. 

_Is it the kid that was hanging out with Minsoo half of the night- Dongyeol?_

Hwanhee clenched his fists as anger climbed his spine. 

Hwanhee never agreed with using a life as an incentive to complete a job, especially a life that was unrelated to the entire situation. He wasn’t a fan of killing, but he understood that’s the way the Mafia worked sometimes. Jinyoung was a necessary kill. Dongyeol or whoever else was being threatened to get Minsoo to take the money _wasn’t_ necessary. 

He couldn’t stand by and watch Minsoo fail his task.

Hwanhee made a decision almost instantly as he started moving towards the heir. Minsoo must’ve heard steps coming towards him, because he immediately tried to appear normal and turned to face Hwanhee. Hwanhee made sure to accidentally bump the other’s shoulder as he passed by him, knocking the other off balance a bit. 

Minsoo quickly straightened, still facing the direction Hwanhee just came from when Hwanhee leaned in close.

“It’s taken care of. Don’t worry about it.”

Then, Hwanhee left the stunned heir standing there as he quickly walked away and tried to disappear as best he could.  
Hwanhee managed to mesh into a crowd moving back into the ballroom after one of the speeches was over. He smiled and laughed like he belonged there.

Once he was sure Minsoo couldn’t identify him, he slipped away again and ducked into one of the bathrooms. He pulled out his phone and dialed Yesung’s number.

_“What?”_

“Yesung,” Hwanhee greeted lowly, not wanting to talk too loudly in case his voice echoed. 

_“Are you done there already? I thought it’d still be another hour or two, at least.”_

“No, I’m not done. Listen, I need a favor.”

Yesung hummed. _“Favors are gonna cost ya. What are you looking for?”_

Hwanhee rolled his eyes, responding, “I need a distraction.”

_“Distraction? That costs extra.”_

“Come on,” Hwanhee whined. “Forget about price for a second. Can you do it for me?”

_“Well, of course I can. What kind of distraction do you need here?”_

“About ten minutes of uninterrupted time.”

 _“I can absolutely do that,”_ Yesung said over the line. Hwanhee heard him standing up and grabbing his keys. _“You’ll get at least ten minutes and you’ll know when I’m there. I’ll send you my bill later, kid.”_

Hwanhee grinned, thanked him, and hung up. Now, he just had to wait.

He wasted his time by ordering another drink and people watching as he made small talk to a couple nearby. 

Hwanhee heard tires squealing outside and glanced out of one of the windows.  
He saw a car on the grass of the property, tires spinning furiously. He cocked his head slightly in confusion. 

_That’s not Yesung’s car. What is he-_

His thought was cut off when suddenly the car surged forward, ripping across the yard.

_I guess that’s my sign to get going._

Hwanhee heard a loud crash outside and the gasps and screams of everyone else in response as he took the opportunity to sneak away.

_That crazy son of a bitch._

Hwanhee shook his head as he jogged down the hallway. 

He stopped when he reached an empty dining room. Inside the room was where the charity money sat, displayed along the decorated table. Hwanhee wanted to roll his eyes at how obnoxious and flashy it was, but he didn’t have time. 

Hwanhee found two bags tucked away under the tablecloth. He figured it must be to move the money later on. It was a stroke of good luck for him.

He listened carefully as he shoved the money into each bag. He didn’t need to be caught; he wouldn’t be able to lie his way out of that one.

Fortunately for him, Yesung was good at what he did. Crashing the hijacked car outside on the property caused quite the commotion and allowed Hwanhee to zip the bags, slinging them over his shoulders. He crept down the hallway as he heard sirens out front. His phone vibrated in his pocket.

He answered as quickly as he could.

“Hel-”

 _“Kid, if you still need a ride, you gotta get out back **now** ,”_ Yesung panted, the sirens faintly audible through the line.

“Okay, okay, I’ll be right there.”

_“Get your ass into gear. We gotta go.”_

Then Yesung hung up and Hwanhee was rushing as quickly as he dared through the estate. 

Hwanhee’s luck seemed to run short when he skidded into the back hallway and saw a figure standing in front of the door.

_Fuck._

Hwanhee watched as the figure stepped forward, confusion painting his face. It was Minsoo.

“Who the hell are you?” Minsoo asked tentatively, hands rigid at his sides.

“That’s not important right now,” Hwanhee urged. “What _is_ important is me getting out of here right now if you want my help.”

“But why are you helping me?”

Hwanhee groaned loudly, stepping close to Minsoo so their faces were close.

“Seriously, it’s not important right now. But if you don’t get out of the way, we’re going to get caught and I think we both have a lot to lose right now.”

Minsoo didn’t move, but he allowed himself to be forced out of the doorway as Hwanhee ripped the door open and rushed outside. He threw the two bags into the porsche Yesung was waiting in and they tore out from the behind the property.

Miraculously, they made it away from the whole thing without getting caught. Hwanhee wasn’t sure how Yesung managed it, but he wasn’t going to complain. He tipped his head back and closed his eyes, trying to catch his breath.

_At least no one has to die tonight._

###### 

Minsoo felt frozen in his spot as he heard everything around him buzzing. He swears even his brain stopped working for a moment.

But then he was thrown back into life and he suddenly couldn’t breathe. He was so overwhelmed and he felt panic rising in his throat.

He drew his phone from his pocket with shaky hands and dialed the only number he could think of.

 _“Hello?”_ A honey-like voice answered the call.

“Hyung,” Minsoo said, his voice weak.

 _“Hi, Minsoo. What’s going on?”_ Sooil asked over the phone, his voice concerned.

“I think I need you to come over here, please. Before I just launch myself off the balcony,” Minsoo said, his legs threatening to give out. “And I don’t know if I’m joking right now.”

Sooil hummed over the line.

_“Alright, babe. Stay on the line with me then, hmm?”_

“Okay,” Minsoo said numbly.

_“Are you okay right now?”_

“Uh...no. I don’t think so. Please just come get me.”

_“I’m working on that. Why don’t you step away from everything, stand outside for a second and get some fresh air?”_

Minsoo forced his legs to move as he pushed the door open. He stood on the back steps, taking a few deep breaths. 

_“Just breathe, okay?”_

It was quiet for a second before Sooil spoke up again.

_“Try looking up at the sky. There are lots of stars tonight since the sky is clear.”_

Minsoo looked up. Sooil was right- there were more stars out than you could usually see. Minsoo tried to focus on the different shapes as he made himself take deep breaths.

 _“You still there?”_ Sooil asked softly.

“Yeah.”

_“Good. Want to take a look over to your left?”_

Minsoo looked down and over to see Sooil leaned against the wall, one foot propped up. He waved with his fingers as he smiled at Minsoo.

Minsoo’s hand holding the phone fell from his face as he made his way over to Sooil.

“Hey,” Sooil greeted, his voice instantly soothing Minsoo some. He brought his hands up to rub Minsoo’s upper arms and warm him a little.

“Sooil, I just-” Minsoo tried, his voice breaking a little. 

“Shh, it’s alright, okay? Let’s go somewhere else for a little bit, get away from here. It should help.”

Sooil put his hand on the small of Minsoo’s back and led him away from the house. Minsoo went on autopilot and let Sooil bring him to his car and gently push him into the passenger’s seat. Minsoo couldn’t really feel his fingers; he wasn’t sure if it was because of the cold or the anxiety.

Sooil kept a comforting hand on Minsoo’s knee as he drove, humming lowly to the music playing over the radio. 

Minsoo must’ve zoned out. He blinked and suddenly they were parked, Sooil already climbing out of the car and walking over to his side. He opened the door for Minsoo and held out a hand, smiling warmly. 

“Where are we?” Minsoo asked in a dazed voice as he took Sooil’s hand and got out of the car.

Sooil was leading him again.

“My place. I figured you needed somewhere you could relax for a while.”

Minsoo just nodded. 

The apartment complex was fairly decent. It was gated, needing a key to open the main gate. The grounds were well-kept, cleared of any debris the cold brought with it.

“I’m just right up here. Almost there.” 

Sooil swiped a card at the door and held it open for Minsoo. Then, he said, “We’ll take the elevator. I’m a few floors up.”

Minsoo let Sooil guide him until they were standing outside of his apartment, Sooil unlocking the door and ushering Minsoo inside.

“Sorry for any of the mess. If I had known I’d have guests, I would’ve at least done a few dishes or folded some laundry,” Sooil chuckled as he hung up his jacket and took off his shoes. 

It was a fairly roomy studio apartment. Sooil definitely had space to separate the “rooms” out and decorate well. He was pretty simple; there wasn’t more than there needed to be in the place.

Minsoo robotically took off his own shoes and tux jacket and stood in the hallway, not sure what to do.

Sooil looked back and snorted, moving to take his hand and tug him towards his bed. 

“The couch is a little lumpy. I need to get a new one, honestly.”

Minsoo sat on the edge of the bed, head hung as Sooil went to grab a glass of water for him. When he returned, he set the glass down next to Minsoo on the nightstand and sat.

“Hey,” he said softly, bumping Minsoo’s shoulder lightly, “Talk to me.”

That seemed to break a dam in Minsoo. He leaned forward and rested his head on Sooil’s chest, immediately breaking down into a mess of tears and broken sentences.

Sooil comforted his friend through it, letting him stain his shirt and patting his back. He kept murmuring, “It’s okay,” and “I’m here,” and “I’ve got you.”

After what seemed like an eternity, Minsoo finally started calming down. Once he was only sniffling, Sooil gently drew back and looked at the other.

“I’m sorry,” Minsoo said, his voice still heavy with sadness. He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand.

“What do you have to be sorry for? It’s okay.”

Minsoo opened his mouth to say more, but Sooil hushed him. Sooil moved to the spot behind Minsoo on the bed. 

“You don’t have to apologize. Let me try something.”

Sooil laid his hands on Minsoo’s shoulders, rubbing and kneading the skin. Minsoo leaned into the touch, feeling some of the tension instantly melt away.

Sooil smiled tenderly as he felt the other start to relax. He worked out the knots in the muscles until he heard Minsoo’s breathing level out to a normal rate.

“There, now that you can breathe, lay down. I can’t reach as much with you sitting up.” 

Minsoo, feeling a little shy, shook his head.

“It’s okay. I’m alright now. You don’t have to keep-”

“I know I don’t have to. Let me do this; it’ll make you feel better,” Sooil coaxed. Minsoo felt his cheeks warm up but nodded and lay down anyway.

Sooil’s hands worked their way down and across Minsoo’s back. Everywhere the other touched, the muscles began to relax. Minsoo felt his eyes slipping closed, allowing himself to unwind. 

He didn’t notice the small noises that escaped his lips from the touch. 

Sooil’s hands seemed to falter for a moment before continuing their actions. They slipped under the hem of Minsoo’s shirt, keeping it mostly in place as he gently rubbed the skin there.

Minsoo let out a low moan.

“You should probably stop that,” Sooil mumbled, tensing a slight bit.

“Stop what?” Minsoo asked, eyes still closed. Getting massaged like that had him feeling drowsy and calm.

Sooil pressed harder into the skin, eliciting another moan.

“ _That._ You should probably stop _that_ ,” Sooil answered, his voice somewhat strained.

_Oh._

Minsoo kept his eyes closed as he ran the scenario through his head. He wasn’t sure if it was a great idea, but he didn’t have much to lose. He felt hesitant, but pushed forward anyway. He was curious as to where this would go.

He wiggled a little and complained, “Why’d you stop? It feels good.”

Sooil exhaled sharply before pushing the shirt up little by little, exposing the skin and working out the knots there.

Minsoo smirked, purposely letting the next noise come out a little louder.

He felt Sooil still again. His hands hovered over Minsoo’s skin, giving him small chills. It was a moment before he leaned over and whispered into Minsoo’s ear.

“I don’t want you to make a decision you’re going to regret in a few hours. So maybe I should stop.”

Sooil went to move off the bed when Minsoo’s arm shot out and grabbed onto the other.

He kept his eyes closed as he fidgeted slightly, mumbling, “ _Please._ Don’t stop.” 

“Are you sure about this?” Sooil asked as he pushed some of the fallen strands of hair away from Minsoo’s face.

When he saw Minsoo’s eyes were still shut, he stroked his cheek with his thumb. 

“Hey, look at me.”

Minsoo’s eyelids fluttered open and he looked up to meet Sooil’s face. 

The two stared at each other for a minute before Sooil asked again, “Are you sure?”

“Yeah,” Minsoo breathed out, “I’m sure.” 

Minsoo watched as Sooil’s eyes darkened slightly before he said, “Okay. Lay the way you were.”

Minsoo relaxed into his spot on the bed, laying on his stomach, before Sooil was climbing over him to straddle his legs. His fingers ghosted over Minsoo’s shoulders before he started rubbing again. 

Minsoo let the little moans slip freely now, sensing how much they affected the other. They went back and forth- Sooil rubbing particularly hard to entice a noise from Minsoo and when Minsoo reacted, it spurred Sooil on more.

They continued this for a while before Sooil’s hands traveled further down. He hesitated for a moment before he squeezed Minsoo’s ass. 

He was surprised when the other jumped, a particularly high-pitch whine hitting his ears. 

Sooil smirked, letting his hands wandered down to Minsoo’s thighs. He touched and rubbed there for a minute before going back up and grabbing Minsoo’s ass again.

After hearing another needy sound, Sooil commented, “Listen to you. Do you like that?”

Minsoo turned his head and glared, his face red. Sooil responded by squeezing once more.

At the involuntary noise, Minsoo buried his face in the pillow and tried to muffle his voice. 

“I think you do like it. But I want to hear you.”

When Minsoo didn’t turn away from the pillow, Sooil lifted his hand up and brought it back down quickly, striking the area he had just been rubbing. 

Immediately, Minsoo’s back arched and he let out a broken whimper.

“ _Oh,_ I think someone enjoys this _a lot._ Tell me how much you like it.”

He repeated the action again, watching how Minsoo reacted as he felt heat pool in his belly. 

Sooil grabbed onto Minsoo’s shoulder and rolled him over so he was on his back. He kept his own position, now straddling Minsoo’s waist. Then Sooil leaned forward, stopping a few inches from Minsoo’s face. There was hesitation, like he still wasn’t sure if it was okay. 

Minsoo reached up, resting his hand on the back of Sooil’s neck and pulled him forward. The kiss started soft and gentle before Sooil took charge, nibbling on Minsoo’s bottom lip. Minsoo felt hands slide into his hair and onto his side, pulling him closer.

He let his own hands wander across Sooil’s skin, pushing his shirt out of the way as he went. 

They both grew more confident in the kiss and their movements. 

When they stopped the kiss to catch their breath, Minsoo fisted the fabric of Sooil’s shirt.

“Can you take this off?” He asked shyly, looking at his own hands instead of Sooil’s eyes.

“Sure,” Sooil said, reaching forward to tip Minsoo’s chin up. “But only if you look at me when you ask.”

“Please,” Minsoo whined, tugging at the fabric again. “Please take this off.”

Sooil groaned, arousal coursing through his body. He sat up, unbuttoning the shirt slowly, popping one button out before trailing his fingers down to the next. The entire time, he stared down at Minsoo. 

Minsoo reached out, his hands feeling and touching as much of Sooil as he could manage. His fingers traced over the faint lines on Sooil’s stomach and chest.

Once the shirt was finally unbuttoned, Minsoo pushed it off of the other and whined, pulling Sooil down for another kiss. 

They kissed a bit more feverishly, trying to overpower the other. Sooil licked at Minsoo’s lips, asking for entrance. Minsoo moaned into the kiss and opened his mouth, allowing Sooil to take over. 

Minsoo’s mind was going hazy at the kiss, lust building in his stomach when he felt Sooil grind into him. He gasped at the friction, bucking his hips to feel more.

Sooil broke away from the kiss, planting pecks across Minsoo’s jaw as he made his way to Minsoo’s ear.

“Look at what you did,” he whispered, grinding down into Minsoo again.

Minsoo felt his eyes flutter in pleasure. Sooil moved down so he was kissing along Minsoo’s neck. He nipped now and then, listening to the way Minsoo’s breathing would hitch when his teeth scraped the skin. After a second or two of teasing, Sooil bit down more harshly, his tongue soothing the skin when Minsoo hissed. He alternated between biting and sucking on the skin before he’d sooth it. 

Minsoo’s hand buried itself in Sooil’s hair, pulling every time Sooil bit down. 

“I took mine off, it’s only fair if yours comes off,” Sooil murmured as his hands came up to undo the bowtie around his neck and work Minsoo’s shirt off.

Sooil worked the buttons open and kissed the exposed skin as he moved down. He continued all the way until the shirt was undone. Minsoo sat up slightly so he could shimmy the shirt off and throw it off to the side.

When he lay back down, Sooil ran his hands up Minsoo’s body. Minsoo shivered.

When Sooil’s thumb ran across one of Minsoo’s nipples, Minsoo jerked and bit his lip.

“Someone’s sensitive, hmm?” 

He did it again, smirking when Minsoo tried not to make a noise.

“Come on, sweetheart. I want to _hear you._ ”

The tone of Sooil’s voice caught Minsoo off-guard and the tightness of his pants was becoming uncomfortable.

Sooil’s hands moved to the waistband of the pants, playing with it rather than unfastening it.

Minsoo groaned and tried to buck his hips, but Sooil just shook his head.

“If you want anything, you need to ask for it.”

Feeling shy again, he whined instead. 

“Uh-uh. Use your words. Ask nicely.”

Sooil dug his nails into Minsoo’s sides, causing the other to jump and gasp.

“Come on,” Sooil teased. “What do you want, baby?”

“Touch me,” Minsoo said breathlessly, trying to push Sooil’s hands lower.

“I said to ask nicely.”

Sooil’s hands dipped under the waistband of Minsoo’s pants, dragging his fingers teasingly along the skin. Minsoo inhaled sharply.

“Please.”

“Please what?” Sooil prompted, raising an eyebrow as his fingers dipped lower.

“Please touch me.”

Sooil withdrew his hand and ran it across the bulge at the front of Minsoo’s pants. 

Minsoo hissed, raising his hips to meet Sooil’s hand and relieve some of the pressure.

But Sooil moved his hand back, smiling wickedly. 

“I touched you. Is that what you wanted?”

Minsoo felt frustrated. He was so hard it hurt and all he wanted was for Sooil to _actually_ touch him.

“Stop teasing me,” Minsoo whined out, his voice cracking slightly. “Please just make me feel good again. Please.”

Sooil gave in to the younger’s pleads, palming him through his clothes.

“More,” Minsoo sighed, bucking into the touch again. “I need more.”

Sooil leaned down, rutting his own hard on against Minsoo’s. They both moaned at the feeling. 

“How bad do you want me to touch you?”

“Hyung, please,” Minsoo whined, his voice high and needy. 

Sooil’s hands immediately intertwined in Minsoo’s hair, pulling sharply and exposing Minsoo’s neck.

“Call me that again,” Sooil breathed into Minsoo’s ear, his hips stilled above Minsoo’s.

“Ah, _hyung._ Please, _hyung._ I want you to make me cum.”

_Fuck._

Sooil felt his self-control slip away as he ground his hips against Minsoo’s a few more times, the two of them panting against each other from pleasure.

“Fuck, when did you get so...hot?” Minsoo mumbled.

Sooil snorted. “I’m offended you’ve never noticed.” There was a pause, then Sooil said, “Actually, I _know_ you’ve noticed before. I see the way you look at me.”

They met in another heavy kiss, neither wanting to relinquish their control. 

When they broke apart, Minsoo accused, “Well, what about you? The way you flirt, the way you talk, the way _-ah-_ you look at me. You almost kissed me the other night.”

Sooil smirked dangerously, yanking the roots in Minsoo’s hair and making the other moan.

“How do you know I don’t treat all of my regulars that way?”

“Ouch,” Minsoo said, digging his nails into Sooil’s back. “Here I thought I was special.”

“Oh, you _are_ ,” Sooil purred, moving down Minsoo’s chest. He gave attention to both of Minsoo’s nipples, his tongue flicking over the sensitive nubs. Minsoo writhed underneath him. At Minsoo’s pleas for more, Sooil dragged his teeth gently over the areas before lapping back over it with his tongue again. 

After he was content with the attention the nipples got, he moved to kiss down Minsoo’s stomach.

“You’re _so_ special to me,” he said, enunciating his point with another kiss. 

“So special, so pretty.”

Minsoo felt his face redden from the praise but it only turned him on more, his voice raising in pitch.

When Sooil got to his waistband again, he kissed along the fabric until Minsoo was writhing again, bucking his hips in a silent beg for attention.

“Do you like when I tell you how pretty you are?” Sooil asked, bringing his hand to palm the other again.

Minsoo whined, trying to grind into the touch.

“You like hearing how pretty and good and _special_ you are?”

Sooil pushed his hand into Minsoo’s bulge, squeezing lightly.

But he was done teasing Minsoo and hooked his fingers around the waistband of the other’s pants and underwear, tugging them both down in one swift motion.

Minsoo gasped, feeling the air hit him and getting shy at being exposed.

“My god, you’re _so pretty,_ baby.”

Minsoo felt his cock twitch at the praise. Sooil smirked and wrapped his hand around the other’s length.

“You’re so wet already, baby,” Sooil teased, stroking twice. “So good for me.”

His thumb swiped the head of Minsoo’s cock, smearing the precum around. 

“ _Hyung_ , please, I don’t care what you do. Just touch me,” Minsoo said breathlessly.

Sooil stroked him again, antagonizing him with slower motions.  
“Please, hyung. Please. Please touch me, hyung, please,” Minsoo begged, his voice breaking at the end.

“Oh, you’re _so_ good for me. You’re such a good boy, asking nicely and using your words,” Sooil praised as he tightened his grip and sped up his pace. 

Minsoo couldn’t hold back any of his moans as Sooil hovered over him, continuing to jerk him off and kissing lightly at Minsoo’s neck.

Every little thing Sooil did sent electricity through Minsoo’s skin and straight to his groin. He felt the coil in his stomach tightening with every jerk, every turn of Sooil's wrist, every single time he squeezed around the head of his cock.

Sooil could tell when Minsoo was starting to fall apart; Minsoo’s thighs were quivering, his head was thrown back, his lips were parted. 

Sooil decided to quicken his pace again, moving his wrist as he continued to pleasure the other more.

When Minsoo’s whines started to become breathier, Sooil leaned close to Minsoo’s ear and nibbled gently. 

“You’re being so good for me,” he cooed, occasionally squeezing his hand and making Minsoo see stars.

“Do you want me to make you cum, sweetheart?”

“Please, hyung. Please. Please make me cum,” Minsoo nearly sobbed, arching his back and clawing at Sooil’s back.

Sooil continued his ministrations, kissing and biting the shell of Minsoo’s ear. When the other was shaking underneath him, whimpering needily and gripping onto his shoulders and back tightly, Sooil knew he was close. He kept praising the other, calling him pretty and telling him over and over that he was being _so good._

Sooil leaned close to Minsoo’s ear and commanded, _“Come for me, baby.”_

Minsoo’s orgasm hit him without warning. His whole body immediately tensed, his toes curling and his vision turning white as he moaned, Sooil’s name falling from his lips. 

He spilled onto his stomach and Sooil’s hand, who continued to stroke him through his orgasm. 

Once he was whining from oversensitivity and jerking away from Sooil’s touch, Sooil released his hold. He leaned down and kissed Minsoo, the gentleness of it contrasting how their kisses were five minutes ago. 

Minsoo’s head was still fuzzy when he heard Sooil stand and move away from him. 

A minute later, Sooil returned with a damp washcloth and carefully cleaned the mess off of the other.

When Minsoo finally started to come down from his high, Sooil smiled at him.

“There he is. Welcome back.”

Minsoo hummed, letting his senses return to him. 

After a second, he sat up and reached for the belt loops of Sooil’s pants, but Sooil caught his hands. Minsoo shot him a confused look.

“What about you?” he asked, trying to reach forward again.

Sooil ran his fingers across Minsoo’s cheeks and said softly, but seriously, “I’m okay. I wanted to make you feel better.”

Minsoo wanted to insist on helping, but Sooil had already stood to clean up and gather Minsoo’s clothing for him. He felt guilty, but Sooil’s voice and face were so genuine that he didn’t want to push.

There was a comfortable silence as they both finished getting dressed. Minsoo had his bowtie hung around his neck as he finished buttoning his shirt. His back was turned to Sooil, who had just returned from using the bathroom.

“As much as I’d love for you to stay,” Sooil spoke up as Minsoo turned to face him, “I should probably get you home. People are going to notice you’re missing, if they haven’t already. And I don’t want you to have another fight with your younger brother.”

Minsoo nodded and the two gathered their things before Minsoo followed Sooil from the apartment. 

When they pulled into the property, most of the guests had left and the activities had died down. The fire department and police were finishing up, towing the wrecked car from the front lawn. Sooil parked a good distance away from the action, allowing Minsoo to get inside without much attention. 

Like always, Sooil walked with Minsoo until they reached the door. Minsoo paused in his step, turning to face the other.

“Are you going to be okay?” Sooil asked softly, his hand on Minsoo’s shoulder.

“I...think so.”

“Good,” Sooil said, a faint smile on his lips. 

“Sooil, really,” Minsoo said, glancing down at the ground. “Thank you. I don’t know how I could’ve handled this by myself. You’re a really good friend.”

Sooil fought to keep his face even, going unnoticed by Minsoo. He leaned forward to kiss Minsoo’s forehead, mumbling, “Of course.”

Then he took a step back and motioned for Minsoo to go inside.

“You go first.” 

Minsoo smiled and nodded, opening the door and heading inside.

Once the door shut again, Sooil went back to his car. He sighed heavily when he was in the driver’s seat, letting his head fall back as he closed his eyes.

Sometimes it hit Sooil hard knowing his relationship with Minsoo wasn’t real. 

Guilt twinged in his gut.

He genuinely enjoyed being around the heir and building a relationship with him, but at the end of the day it was all for work. He needed to know what was going on inside of the family and have tabs on them, but it didn’t mean he felt good about it.

But the other still thought of him as a good friend. And as long as Minsoo didn’t know the truth about him, he could pretend it was okay.


	9. Hyung, I Don't Want To Die

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WE RECOGNIZE AND WILL HONOR WEI’S NAME CHANGE. HOWEVER, AT THE CURRENT TIME IT DOES NOT FIT INTO THE PLOT LINE AND WE DON’T WANT IT TO BE CONFUSING FOR OTHER READERS. PLEASE BE PATIENT AND BEAR WITH US UNTIL WE GET TO THAT POINT. THANK YOU! ~

Hwanhee was undressing as he stepped through his front door into his apartment. He was exhausted and the clothes felt tight and suffocating and he couldn’t wait to get the fabric off his body.

Yesung had brought him straight home and Hwanhee had slung the two bags over his shoulder to drag upstairs with him until he could figure out what to do with it. 

He was still trying to work out the kinks in his story, but he had always been an excellent liar. If it came down to it, he’d be able to come up with something on the spot to how the money ended up in his possession. 

But Yesung had caused a great distraction with no evidence left that either one of them had been there; it simply looked like a regular carjacking-gone-wrong.

Hwanhee walked through his bedroom and shoved the clothes in his closet aside. He let the bags slide down and fall on the floor. He removed the boards that hid a large safe and twisted the lock until it opened for him. He loaded the money into the safe and decided to keep it there until he got instructions otherwise.

Once everything was locked up, secure, and hidden away again, Hwanhee immediately retreated to his bathroom to wash away the stress and emotions from the night. 

Hwanhee took his time in the shower, letting the water fall until it was ice cold and making him shiver. He refused to let himself think yet; he just wanted to eat and go to bed and deal with the rest of it tomorrow.

When he stepped out from the shower and dried off, he tugged on a sweatshirt and shorts before heading back out into his living room to watch TV and unwind.

He lazily flipped through the few channels he cared for, clicking through quickly until something caught his eye and he flipped to a previous channel.

It was a news story, highlighting the gala and its “accomplishments” with charity work before flipping to a photo of a wrecked car wrapped around a trunk of one of the trees in the yard. Hwanhee still couldn’t figure out how Yesung had managed it.

A reporter appeared on the screen next, standing off the property and encouraging anyone with any information on what happened to call and report it.

The TV must’ve lulled Hwanhee to sleep for a little bit. He woke up, blinking a few times before he glanced at his watch. 

He groaned and winced when he felt his stomach grumbling. It was late and he probably shouldn’t be eating, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep with his stomach growling at him all night long.

He rolled off the couch and got to his feet, wandering into the kitchen. He just needed something to hold him over until the morning.

He set about making scrambled eggs- easy, light, but would be filling enough. 

He had just turned the burner off and was pouring his eggs onto a plate when he heard the front door fly open and slam shut shortly after. 

“Hwanhee,” a familiar voice growled.

Hwanhee turned to see Sooil marching towards him. But he didn’t expect him to look so...angry.

Sooil grabbed fistfuls of the front of Hwanhee’s sweatshirt and shoved him backward, causing Hwanhee’s back and head to slam into the fridge behind them. He felt the air knocked from his lungs a little bit.

Hwanhee was momentarily dazed but his body became defensive, his hands shooting up to grab Sooil’s wrists.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you out of your fucking mind?” Sooil seethed, shaking Hwanhee as he spoke. 

“What the fuck are you talking about? Let go of me!” Hwanhee yelled, trying to push Sooil’s arms away. But Sooil’s fists tightened around the sweatshirt as he slammed Hwanhee back again.

“Do you know how fucking dangerous that was? Are you fucking _stupid_? Did you even _think_ for _one second_ how you could have fucked everything up?” Sooil continued, glaring into the younger.

Hwanhee finally managed to break out of Sooil’s hold and pushed him away, his fists balled tightly at his sides and his breath heavy.

“What are you even _talking_ about?” Hwanhee demanded, trying to be more level than the other.

“Where did you put the fucking money? For the love of God, tell me you put it somewhere safe.”

Hwanhee blinked in realization, feeling his hands unfurl slightly.

“How did you-”

“You missed check-in,” Sooil explained sharply. “You’re not a fucking rookie; you _know_ how important those check-ins are. So when you missed it, I came down to see if you had gotten into any trouble. I got there right before Yesung decided to decorate that tree with the car.”

Hwanhee sighed, rubbing his hands together. 

“But I _wasn’t_ in trouble. I was just working.”

Sooil snapped, “No, you were getting involved. You put yourself into a situation that didn’t involve you. Do you understand what position you could’ve just put yourself in? Yesung in? Me? _Everyone?_ You put all of our asses on the line because you decided to play hero when you don’t even understand what’s going on!”

“I wasn’t trying to be a hero!” Hwanhee countered. “All this week, we’ve been hiding bodies and getting rid of evidence and there’s nothing heroic about that! But that whole job was set up to fail for that Lee heir and you know it! And to threaten him with someone else’s life? He isn’t a cheat or a liar or a traitor to us- why is it that extreme?”

Sooil rolled his eyes and shook his head.

“Seriously, hyung. We’ve done some sketchy shit before, but this is just…” Hwanhee trailed off. He stared at Sooil, hoping for some kind of answer.

After a moment, Sooil said, “Look, instructions like that come down from Yein. They don’t come from me or anyone else; it’s what Yein says, so that means we fucking do it. Yein’s instructions were that the Lee heir got the money out.”

Then his voice dropped down an octave, stepping forward towards Hwanhee.

“I don’t want to imagine what Yein would do if he found out you got in the middle of this one.”

Hwanhee felt frustrated and a little worried as he stared at the elder. Was he insinuating he was going to tell their boss? 

There was a pang of anxiety in his stomach that spread through his limbs. Images flashed through his mind as he thought of the various ways Yein would punish people for not obeying or stepping out of line. He felt the ground spin under his feet. He could hear Sooil tearing into him still, but he couldn’t focus on the words. His heart was hammering against his ribs and he couldn’t stop his hands and knees from shaking. He could feel his breathing speed up.

_He would kill him. Yein would **absolutely** kill him._

“...Hey. Hey, Hwanhee,” Sooil called out, watching the younger in front of him.

“Hyung, I don’t want to die,” Hwanhee said quietly, his voice sounding distant as he spoke.

Sooil sighed, feeling the anger fall from his shoulders. He reached forward and grabbed Hwanhee’s shoulders. Hwanhee unconsciously flinched and Sooil felt a stab of guilt. He held Hwanhee firmly and gently shook him.

“Hwan-ah, look at me.”

Sooil noticed how panicked the younger looked. 

“Hey,” he said softly, bending his knees so he was level with the other.

Hwanhee was still shaking, stuck inside his head with his own thoughts. 

Sooil cupped Hwanhee’s face with both of his hands, forcing Hwanhee to blink and look at him.

“Hwan-ah, I’m not going to tell him. I’m not gonna let him hurt you, okay? You’re not going to die.” 

There was silence for a moment as Sooil stared at Hwanhee, hoping the younger could read how genuine and honest he was being. 

“Hyung,” Hwanhee mumbled, not knowing what else to say.

Sooil pulled the younger into a tight hug, patting his back a few times before they pulled apart.

They didn’t have time to say something else to one another before a loud growl echoed in the room.

Hwanhee looked down at his stomach, then back at his eggs before he sighed. 

“They’re cold now,” he said sadly as he pushed the food around with his fork.

“Don’t be a baby; just warm them up and eat them,” Sooil said as he moved next to Hwanhee to stare at the eggs.

Hwanhee made a face as he looked at Sooil.

“Rewarm eggs? What kind of monster are you?”

Another growl interrupted him and he pouted.

“Make me more,” Hwanhee said, nudging Sooil with his elbow.

“What? No,” Sooil scoffed. “You have eggs right there. Eat them.”

“But they’re cold,” Hwanhee whined pitifully, “And they wouldn’t have been if you didn’t barge in to my apartment.”

Hwanhee jutted his lip out a little more and crossed his arms, staring at Sooil like a whiny baby.

He couldn’t believe the brat in front of him. But he still felt lousy for upsetting the younger earlier and he could hear Hwanhee’s stomach trying to eat itself.

“Alright, fine. Just get out of my way.”

Hwanhee fist-pumped in victory before scraping the cold eggs into the trash and leaving his plate on the counter, poking Sooil in the side as he passed.

Sooil muttered about Hwanhee being a spoiled brat before he turned to make the food.

As much as Hwanhee could annoy him, Sooil couldn’t deny that he loved the kid. Hwanhee was the only family he really had. Hwanhee was his brother at this point and he’d do whatever he could to protect him.

###### 

Sungjun smiled at Jinwook as he joined the other in the bathroom to finish getting ready for bed.

The two of them had finished their shifts only about three hours ago and they’d have to be at work bright and early the next morning.

Jinwook was sleepily brushing his teeth, barely holding himself up against the sink. Sungjun came up behind and wrapped his arms around Jinwook’s middle. 

“You just have to stay awake long enough to finish brushing your teeth. You can do it.”

Jinwook groaned and leaned into the other.

“I’m so sleepy,” he mumbled around his toothbrush. 

“I know. Only a couple more shifts before we both have a day off and we can sleep all day, hmm?”

Sungjun released his hold on Jinwook so the other could rinse. He decided to go back into the bedroom and fold down the bed. As he was pulling the sheets back, Jinwook dragged himself out from the bathroom and flopped into the bed. Sungjun chuckled.

“I just want to sleep for a year,” Jinwook murmured, reaching for Sungjun as the other climbed into bed. 

“Well, I can only promise you a few hours. But take what you can get.” 

Sungjun wrapped his arm around Jinwook as he settled into the pillows and Jinwook cuddled into his chest. 

“‘M sorry I’ve been too tired to do anything lately,” Jinwook said with his eyes closed, his words slurring a bit.

“Shut up,” Sungjun said, pulling him closer. “You’re wasting time that you could be sleeping.”

Jinwook snorted in response before they both went quiet. It took Sungjun a little longer to fall asleep; he was happy to watch Jinwook get to relax as he dozed off. 

They had both been running around non-stop since the house fire and Jinyoung’s murder. There wasn’t a lot of evidence and they were struggling to connect this crime to a string of other crimes and homicides they knew had to be related.

Sungjun sighed softly and willed himself to relax and try to get some sleep. Their alarms would be going off before they knew it.

It felt like Sungjun had barely drifted off before a blaring noise was jolting him awake.

He felt groggy and disoriented. Was it already time for them to get up? It still seemed dark out.

Jinwook sat up and grabbed his phone and Sungjun realized it was ringing and _that’s_ what woke them up. Jinwook rubbed his eyes and read the contact before swearing. He answered professionally, like he hadn’t just been asleep a minute prior. A moment later, Sungjun’s phone started ringing.

Jinwook tried to muffle the sound of the other phone ringing and frantically waved for Sungjun to leave before he answered his call.

Sungjun grabbed his phone and fell out of bed, landing on the floor with a loud _thud._

“Shit,” he muttered as he scrambled to get up and out of the room so he could answer his phone without seeming like he was just in bed sleeping with his partner.

“Hello?” he answered gruffly.

_“Hello, Detective Lee. Sorry to call you so early, but we actually need you and Detective Kim down here.”_

“What’s going on now?”

_“Ah. You see, all the charity money from the gala last night has gone missing and we think it’s tied with some of the people and cases you and your partner are investigating.”_

“Ah, fuck. You’re joking,” Sungjun muttered as he brushed his hair back from his face with one hand.

_“I wish I was. Anyway, I can’t talk long. I think someone from the department already called Detective Kim, but if not, can you get a hold of him? And you two get to the Lee property as soon as possible? There are a few witnesses still hanging around and we’d like to get their statements before they go.”_

“Alright, alright,” Sungjun said. “I’ll be there soon.”

They said their goodbyes and hung up. Sungjun could feel the exhaustion in his bones as he re-entered the bedroom and met Jinwook’s tired smile.

“I knew the morning would come quick, but for some reason, I feel like we were scammed out of a few hours,” Jinwook joked as the two of them grabbed their clothes and undressed. 

“We get scammed out of a lot with this job,” Sungjun replied bitterly as he pulled on his shirt.

Jinwook laughed as he stepped into his dress pants and pulled them up. 

“You wouldn’t trade this job for the world.”

“I’d trade it for you,” Sungjun replied without missing a beat. “To have you without hiding or being worried about the repercussions.”

Jinwook walked over and stopped in front of the other, lifting a hand to cup Sungjun’s cheek. He stroked with his thumb and smiled softly.

“We’ll get there eventually. But right now, you gotta hurry up. Your hair’s a wreck and it’s going to take you twenty minutes alone to fix it.”

Sungjun swatted Jinwook’s hand away playfully as the other moved to finish getting dressed.

 

About half an hour later, they were both walking to the parking lot to get into their cars. Sungjun walked Jinwook to his first and held his traveler mug as the other got situated. 

“The sun’s not up yet- I shouldn’t be either,” he grumbled as Jinwook took the mug and buckled his seatbelt.

“I forgot how much of baby you are when you have to get up early,” Jinwook teased.

“Yeah, yeah. Who was being a baby about doing dishes last night, huh? Or moving the laundry from the washer to the dryer? I don’t want to hear it.”

Jinwook smiled brightly at Sungjun and Sungjun felt his heart clench. He knew he shouldn’t out in public, but he couldn’t help himself. He leaned into the car and pressed his lips firmly against the other’s, who jerked in surprise but otherwise kissed him back.

When Sungjun pulled away, Jinwook asked, “What was that one for?”

“To wipe that stupid look off your face. I’ll follow you?” 

Jinwook snorted in laughter but nodded. His hand briefly reached out to grasp Sungjun’s and squeezed before letting go and closing his door. 

Sungjun moved to get into his car and settled in before turning the car on and backing out of the spot. 

He followed Jinwook out of the parking lot and along the route to the Lee residence. There was barely traffic on the road due to the early hour and Sungjun found himself lost in thought the entire way.

He noticed when they pulled up to the property that the police presence was very low-key.

They both parked in the driveway and got out, meeting with each other before coming around the front of the large house. Before they got to the door and knocked, they were met by a familiar face.

“I didn’t expect you to be here so late,” Jinwook greeted quietly.

“Well, I get paid hourly right now so…” the other said dryly, shaking both of the detectives’ hands. 

“What’s going on?” Sungjun asked.

“You didn’t hear anything from me, alright? I have a few ideas about what happened, but I need to look into some of them first. But the host said he and his younger son realized the money was gone as guests really started to filter out. He halted and kept who he could inside the house, but a majority of them already left. With the media covering the crash and all earlier, he wanted this to be as hush-hush as possible.”

“Did anyone see anything suspicious?”

“From what I could gather, not really. There are a few inside you may be able to get more from, but this one’s a bit… difficult.”

“It always is difficult for us,” Sungjun bit grumpily. He earned a nudge in the ribs by Jinwook.

“I have to get back. It’s a bit noticeable when I’m gone for too long. I’ll be in touch when I can,” the brunette said, nodding his head before he brushed by them and disappeared.

Sungjun ran a hand over his face and took a deep breath. 

“That’s it. I quit. I’m quitting. I’m done,” Sungjun said dramatically as Jinwook reached to ring the bell.

“Okay, drama queen. I’ll be sure to turn in your resignation letter when we get back to the station.”

They waited in the cold for a few moments before the door swung open and they were greeted by an older gentleman.

“Hello, sir,” Jinwook greeted, the two of them showing their badges at once. “I’m Detective Kim and this is my partner, Detective Lee. Do you mind if we come in?”

“Oh, absolutely. Please,” the gentleman responded, moving out of the way and motioning for them to enter.

“Thank you for coming so early,” the gentleman said earnestly as he shut the door behind the two.

“It’s no problem. I’m sorry, I don’t think I caught your name? Do you know where the owner and host is?” Sungjun answered.

“Oh! Oh my, I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself!” the gentleman exclaimed, reaching to shake the detectives’ hands. “I’m actually the owner of the house and the host of the event, Lee Changhyun.”

“Ah, it’s very nice to meet you. Could you tell us what happened?” Jinwook asked as Sungjun pulled a notebook from his pocket.

“Oh, I don’t really know how helpful I’ll be. I don’t remember seeing anything out of the ordinary. Everything seemed to be going so well until whatever happened outside with the car and that’s when things seemed to have derailed a bit.”

“We heard it was you that realized the money was missing?” Jinwook questioned.

“Yes,” Changhyun recounted. “My son and I were escorting the hired staff to pack up the money when we discovered an empty room. We called the police once we realized and tried to keep our remaining guests inside.”

“And we heard it was your younger son. Do you have multiple children?” Sungjun asked as he looked up from the notebook.

“Oh, yes. I have my two boys- Minsoo is my older son, Dongyeol is my younger son.”

“And where was your older son at the time?”

“I suppose he was in the bathroom when Dongyeol and I went to escort the staff. He’s my charmer, you see. He had been interacting with my guests all night. I couldn’t find him with a quick glance, but there was quite a few guests still hanging around at the time.”

“Did you notice anyone new or out of the ordinary in attendance tonight?”

“We had a few foreign investors visiting tonight, but my sons and I met them and chatted with them. I’m sure there were plus-ones and dates I didn’t recognize, but these sort of things are fairly exclusive,” Changhyun explained. His brows were furrowed in concentration as he tried to recall any detail that stood out.

The two asked a few more questions before they thanked Changhyun and excused themselves to go question other guests.

They noticed a younger man sitting at one of the tables alone, back facing towards them. He had one arm draped over the back of the chair and the other resting on the table, a mostly-empty drink in hand. His legs were stretched out to the side rather than underneath. He looked like he was trying to relax and make himself comfortable.

When the two detectives moved closer, they realized they knew the young man.

“Han Gyujin-ssi?”

Gyujin jumped slightly at the voice, turning to find the source. When he recognized the two, he immediately stood and bowed.

“Detective Kim, Detective Lee. Nice to see you two again,” Gyujin greeted politely.

“These are slightly better circumstances this time,” Sungjun said. Gyujin nodded.

“So you were here in attendance tonight?” Jinwook asked, motioning for Gyujin to sit again as they pulled out chairs.

“Yeah. I didn’t really want to come, but as a head of my fath-” Gyujin paused and visibly winced before continuing, “As head and CEO of the company, it’s somewhat of a duty to be present at these things.”

The two detectives shared a look.

“Why didn’t you want to come?”

Gyujin’s features darkened; his eyebrows knitted together and his mouth fell into a scowl.

“I don’t trust them,” he answered, anger seeping into his voice. 

“‘Them’ being the Lee family?” Sungjun asked, already sure of the answer.

They received a stiff nod as a reply before Gyujin continued, “It’s hard to keep up reputation and meet people if you don’t come to these types of things, regardless of how painful it is.”

“Did you notice anything odd or anyone that stuck out?” Jinwook inquired, trying to shift away from the sore topic.

“Besides the accident out front? Not really. There were a few faces I didn’t recognize well, but they were older men. I think they were foreigners or something.”

Jinwook opened his mouth to ask another question when Gyujin perked up a little bit, his back straightening and his eyes widening.

“Actually, not all of them were older. There was one man about my age, maybe a year or so younger. I heard someone say he was an investor’s son or something. But I didn’t see him talk to Changhyun-sunbaenim. For someone sent on business for his father, he did a poor job.”

“Do you remember the name?” Sungjun asked, hastily scribbling the details of Gyujin’s statement down.

Gyujin frowned. “No, I don’t. I didn’t talk to him personally. I just know he charmed a few of the others I spoke to.”

“Just one more question,” Jinwook spoke up, looking over at the notebook. “Do you know where Lee Minsoo was towards the end of the night?”

Gyujin inhaled sharply and bit his lip, dropping his gaze to stare at the table.

“Gyujin-ssi?” Sungjun pushed gently.

“No, I don’t know where he was,” he answered, his voice tight. “I didn’t look for him, either. I couldn’t care less.”

Sensing they may have upset the younger in front of them, Jinwook said, “Thank you, Gyujin-ssi. That’s about all we need. You’re free to go home now. Call us if you remember anything else.”

“Or if you need anything,” Sungjun added quietly, hoping the other could sense their concern for him.

“Thank you,” Gyujin mumbled, standing and bowing before he gathered his jacket and walked towards the exit.

“My heart breaks for the kid,” Sungjun said in a low voice to his partner. “He’s still dealing with so much.”

“I know. I wish there was more we could’ve done for him. I feel like we failed him,” Jinwook sighed.

Sungjun bumped Jinwook’s knee with his own, the small gesture comforting.

“We did what we could. We ran ourselves into the ground with that investigation. There just wasn’t any kind of evidence to pursue. And you’re the best in the game; you would’ve found it if it was there.”

“Quit kissing up,” Jinwook said, his lips tugging into a weak smile. 

The two detectives decided to question and get statements from the other remaining guests first so they could go home. All of the stories stayed pretty consistent- nothing stood out as unordinary. 

However, a few of the guests remembered the mystery person who was the investor’s son sent on business for his father. One or two recalled a name while others could give a vague description of him. No one could remember any specific marks, tattoos, birthmarks, or anything that would make him stand out. He was handsome, lean, well-built; according to their testimonies, he looked and acted like he belonged there.

With the guests finally filing out and heading home, they decided to question the younger son, Dongyeol, next. 

When they finally found the younger son, he was standing and chatting casually with the familiar man from earlier. He shot them a sly wink as they approached.

“Hello, I’m Detective Lee and this is my partner, Detective Kim,” Sungjun introduced, shaking Dongyeol’s hand.

“I’ll be heading out,” the other murmured to Dongyeol quietly, bowing as he said goodbye.

“Oh, alright. Good night, hyung,” Dongyeol said. The other patted his head and smiled.

“Do you mind if we ask you a few questions?” Jinwook asked politely once as the other man walked away.

“Of course not. Here, we can sit over here.” 

Dongyeol lead the two to a sitting area with two couches and a few comfortable chairs.

“Can you give us your recount of what happened?” Sungjun asked when he had his notebook open and ready.

“This is the first time in years we’ve hosted a gala here at our home. I’m not great at these types of events, but I think the whole night went pretty well. My dad and brother were stressed out most of the time, but I don’t blame them; there’s a lot of weight on their shoulders for this to go off without a hitch.

“My dad asked me to come with him so we could show the event staff where the money was to pack up and take to the bank. But when we got to the dining room, where we had the money for the night, the room was bare. I didn’t think anyone even came over to this side of the house all night. No one I talked to remembered seeing anyone besides my brother.”

“And where was your brother towards the end of the night?”

“Well,” Dongyeol said, fiddling with something in his hands, “My brother and I got into a small argument earlier this evening. He was stressed out, I know he was. I didn’t mean to push and irritate him and we just butted heads. I left and went outside because I was frustrated. He seemed like he was off, like he wasn’t feeling well.”

“What about the guests? Did you meet anyone new tonight?” Jinwook implored.

“I met quite a few people. I don’t go to every single meeting and remember people like my brother does. There were some I’ve met in passing that I talked to more. There were foreigners I met with my dad and others I talked to.”

Sungjun noticed the younger was twisting a handkerchief in his hands as he spoke. There was a black “H” embroidered onto a corner in bold lettering. He made a small note about it. 

“Some other guests mentioned this young investor they met. Slim, fit, a little on the shorter side, brown hair. Did you happen to meet him too?”

Dongyeol’s hands stopped their movements at once, his grip tightening around the handkerchief.

“Mostly everyone I met was a bit older, except this one guy. His name was Baekhyun- is he who you’re talking about?”

Sungjun’s eyebrows shot up and he turned to meet Jinwook’s eyes. The two of them shared a quick surprised look before Sungjun circled the name ‘Byun Baekhyun’ in his notes. Then, he commented, “Actually, yes. Could you tell us any more about him?”

“Is he in trouble?” Dongyeol asked innocently, picking at a loose thread from the edge of the fabric.

“We’re just trying to get information on anyone that was new here, maybe noticed more since it was a new scene for them,” Jinwook answered carefully, flashing a disarming smile to the younger.

“Well, I didn’t really get an opportunity to talk to him. I met him when I was out on the balcony; he must’ve been smoking or something and I just didn’t notice him when I went out. We only talked for a second before he wanted to come back inside. He was real kind, made me feel better after fighting with my brother.”

Dongyeol chatted with the two detectives for a bit longer before they thanked him and handed him their information, just in case he remembered anything else. 

“Oh, one other thing,” Jinwook called out as Dongyeol turned to retreat up the staircase. “Where could we find your older brother, Minsoo?”

“I think he’s up in his bedroom. I’ll send him down,” Dongyeol replied before he said goodbye and left the two alone.

“He’s cute,” Jinwook chuckled as he turned to his partner.

“He reminds me of you,” Sungjun said absentmindedly as he read through the notes.

“Because I’m cute?”

“Because you don’t shut up.”

He thought the smack he received on his chest was well worth it as he snickered.

Jinwook sighed as he plucked the notebook from Sungjun’s hands, reading through the notes.

“This Baekhyun person… do you think he’s related to this?”

“I think it’s a little suspicious that he’s here on business and didn’t talk to the wealthiest person in the room,” Sungjun said in a low voice, looking over his shoulder to make sure their conversation wasn’t being overheard.

“If he’s a foreigner, we won’t be able to find much information on him. Maybe some travel information, but that’s about it,” Jinwook said, deflating a little.

They waited patiently for another minute before they heard footsteps descending the stairs. They both stood and turned, taking in details of the older son as he approached.

His appearance was slightly disheveled; a few wrinkles apparent in his pants and his hair tame except for a few stray pieces. 

Jinwook noticed a faint bruise on the other’s neck, barely visible above the collar of his shirt. It seemed fresh, the reds and purples of the mark bright against the flushed skin.

“His neck,” Jinwook whispered lowly, unsure if Sungjun would even hear him. But his partner was well-tuned to him and casually studied the other as he made his way closer to them. 

He flashed a bright, trained smile at them as he extended his hand in greeting.

“I’m Lee Minsoo. Nice to meet you. My brother told me you wanted to talk?”

The detectives shook his hand as well as they introduced themselves and motioned him to sit.

“We just wanted to get your statement on what happened here,” Sungjun stated.

“Unfortunately, I’m not really sure what happened until after the fact,” Minsoo said as he adjusted himself on the couch, his one leg resting on top of the other. “I wasn’t feeling good and went upstairs to lie down. I must’ve taken a nap because I woke up after all the commotion.” 

“Do you remember about what time you went upstairs?” Sungjun asked as he wrote the details of the story and things they noticed. 

“What time I went upstairs?” Minsoo repeated as he scratched the back of his neck. “I don’t know the time, but it was right after the accident out front. The whole thing made me feel a bit overwhelmed and sick.”

“And you said you came back down after all of the commotion? About what time was that?” Sungjun asked.

Minsoo thought for a second. “It was right before my father called about the money being gone.”

“Well, do you remember any new faces or anyone that stuck out?”

“I met a few new potential investors with my father,” Minsoo answered. “But they didn’t real stand out as suspicious or like they wanted to steal from us.”

“Did you see anyone about your age or younger, brown hair, well-built, maybe about my height?” Jinwook asked as he leaned over and read from the notebook. “He introduced himself as Baekhyun. Handsome face, here for his father.”

Sungjun watched as Minsoo’s eyes darted to the right, then left. He brought his hand up to his lip and looked like he was trying to think before he said in response, “I can’t say that I did see anyone like that. There were quite a few young investors here, but all the ones I talked to or saw were here with their fathers or mothers or secretaries.”

“Your brother mentioned that the two of you got into an argument this evening,” Jinwook said, trying to relieve some of the tension.

Minsoo sighed. “Yeah, I took my frustration and stress about tonight out on him when he really didn’t do anything. I wouldn’t call it an argument. I snapped at him and he left and I sulked in a corner for a few minutes.” 

Jinwook chuckled good-naturedly. “Siblings always have a funny way of getting along.”

“Yeah, especially when it comes to Dongyeol. He pushes my buttons sometimes but he’s my little brother.”

“Is there anything else that you can think of that stood out that may be able to piece together what happened?”

Minsoo frowned and shook his head.

“There really isn’t anything I can recall. Everything and everyone seemed normal. The only other one I could suggest talking to is my dad’s secretary. He loves to people-watch, so maybe he saw something.”

Sungjun flipped the notebook closed as Jinwook slid their card across to him.

“If anything comes to mind, give us a call, okay?”

Minsoo smiled and nodded. He stood and shook their hands again as he bid them goodbye and left them.

“He’s lying about something,” Sungjun said immediately once the younger was out of earshot.

“I know he is,” Jinwook sighed, “But why? Why is he lying?”

“I don’t think he needs to steal money; the kid’s never had to worry about money a day in his life. So what does he know?”

Jinwook shrugged as the two of them wrapped up their investigation and left the house. As they walked to their cars, Jinwook offered sweetly, “I’ll buy you breakfast before we head to the station?”

“Can you even eat this early? Are any places open yet?”

“I don’t know if I can eat yet, but I’ll take a few cups of coffee. And I’m sure we can find some place to sit down and eat,” Jinwook replied as he tugged on Sungjun’s hand for a moment before dropping it.

Sungjun hummed. “I’d rather be cuddled in bed with you. Or making breakfast at home. Enjoying a shower before you steal all the hot water. Or-”

“Stop being such a dork,” Jinwook laughed as he turned to unlock his car.

“Or I’d love to see you underneath me,” Sungjun whispered in a sultry voice and watched as Jinwook dropped his keys and blinked before turning and facing his partner.

“Don’t start this here. We’re in public,” he warned lowly.

“I would’ve loved to have you pinned underneath me this morning, hearing the pretty noises you would’ve made for me,” Sungjun breathed as he stepped closer to Jinwook.

“I’m gonna punch you,” Jinwook said, his voice tight.

Sungjun reached forward to open the door for his partner. But as he stepped forward to push it open, his free hand reached and squeezed the other’s ass. 

He smirked as the other inhaled sharply and closed his eyes, using the car to steady himself.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?” Sungjun asked loudly, a cheeky smile plastered on his face.

“I’m going to kill you, I swear it.”

Sungjun leaned in to whisper, “It’s hot and you know it. The risk that we could get caught.”

“It’s not hot when our jobs depend on it,” Jinwook replied as he gently shoved the other aside and plopped down into the seat.

“So breakfast?”

“Fuck off,” Jinwook growled as he turned on the car. “Buy your own fuckin’ breakfast.”

Sungjun laughed and replied with a smile, “Whatever you say, tiger. I love you.”

Jinwook rolled his eyes but asked with a sly smile, “I’ll follow you. Breakfast’s on me, but only if you can behave, baby boy.” 

With a bright blush on his cheeks, Sungjun nodded and patted the hood of the car as he walked back to his own car.


	10. Do You Believe In Fate?

Dongyeol was absentmindedly twiddling a pen in his fingers as he read over a new proposal for one of the departments he managed.

He and his brother had been busy all morning; since the gala had passed, they had an influx of contract renewals, proposals, new business investors contacting them, and project plans coming through that needed to be overlooked and either approved or denied. And since the two of them were the head of most of the departments, they had a lot of paperwork and reading to sort through.

Almost like clockwork, an email notification popped up from Minsoo and Dongyeol opened it. He read the summary of a new business contract and quickly replied that he approved it and Minsoo could sign his name on it.

Dongyeol tried to get back to the proposal on his desk, but he couldn’t focus. The words were all starting to blur together. He sighed and rubbed his eyes, but it didn’t fix the problem. 

He leaned back in the chair, scowling at the stacks he still needed to read through.

But a loud growl echoed in his ears and he knew his focus was shot until he had a break and ate lunch.

Grabbing his coat, he left his office and waited for an elevator. The building had a large and well-catered lunchroom for the employees to eat at, but Dongyeol was feeling restless and needed to get out for a little while. 

He sent his brother a message to let him know he was going to lunch and wouldn’t be in the office for a bit and that any reports that absolutely needed approval before he returned could be signed off for him. Minsoo just asked Dongyeol to bring him food when he came back.

Dongyeol left the building and walked a few blocks down the street, pulling his jacket a little tighter to keep the chill away. He regularly tried to find new cafes and restaurants to eat at, but this particular place, The Lounge, had remained his favorite.

He entered the cafe and greeted the baristas working, who smiled and waved at him. He ordered a hot chocolate and a pastry to eat and settled into one of the tables in the cozy cafe.  
He wasted a bit of time by checking his phone and watching the people who came into the cafe. He hummed along to the music playing softly over the speakers. 

He watched as people hurried by the window, trying to fight the cold as they went on their way. 

One person caught his attention and Dongyeol watched as the man crossed the street and made his way towards the cafe. He had his hood pulled up on his head and wore a cap, so Dongyeol couldn’t make out his face. He was clad in black ripped jeans and a jean jacket pulled over a hoodie. He stepped into the building and visibly shivered as he tried to warm his hands.

Dongyeol lifted his drink to his lips to take a sip when the man pushed his hood back. When Dongyeol saw the man’s face, he sputtered on his drink, causing it to spill down his chin and onto his pants. He coughed, trying not to choke as he watched the man step into line.

The man removed his cap, pushed his hair back with his hand, and tugged the hat back on so it was backwards. He then adjusted the circular frames on his face, pushing them back up so he could read the menu. 

_Is that really Baekhyun?_ Dongyeol thought to himself as he cleaned up the drink he had spilled on himself.

He had been intrigued with the guest from the other night since Baekhyun had walked away. Dongyeol didn’t think he’d see him again so soon. He wanted to get Baekhyun’s attention and talk to him again.

Dongyeol turned and found one of the baristas he had befriended. 

“Psst, Yuqi-ssi!” He called out quietly, waving at her when she looked up. She smiled and walked over.

“Dongyeol-oppa, hi! Is everything okay?”

“Yes, everything’s fine,” Dongyeol assured. “But I can I ask you a favor?”

“Of course! What can I do for you?”

Dongyeol looked over and motioned at Baekhyun, who was next in line to order. “Do you see that man, with the cap on? I want to pay for whatever he gets.”

He pulled a few bills out of his wallet and handed it to Yuqi. “I think that should cover just about anything he gets. And you can keep whatever change is left over.”

“Oh, no problem!” 

Yuqi glanced over at Baekhyun and giggled before noting, “You have good taste, Dongyeol-oppa.”

Dongyeol watched as Yuqi skipped up to the cashier and whispered in the other girl’s ear. The cashier nodded at Yuqi before taking Baekhyun’s order.

He couldn’t hear the conversation, but he saw as Baekhyun tried to pay for his order before the cashier shook her head. She explained something to him and Dongyeol could imagine the look of confusion on the other’s face. The cashier said something else before she gestured behind him and Baekhyun turned. 

His eyes searched the tables for a moment before they landed on Dongyeol. Heat rose on his cheeks and Dongyeol shot a friendly smile to the other. Baekhyun seemed taken back for a moment before he grinned in return. He grabbed his coffee and snack from the barista and moved to join Dongyeol at his table.

“You shouldn’t have done that,” Baekhyun said, a slight whine to his voice. 

“I wanted to,” Dongyeol insisted lightly. “Plus, yelling your name across the cafe to get your attention is frowned upon.”

Baekhyun agreed with a small laugh before taking a sip of his coffee. 

“So what brings you here?” Dongyeol asked as he held his drink. “I thought this place was pretty small, not very well-known.”

Baekhyun bit his lip and wrinkled his nose. It almost looked like he winced. But after a second, he replied simply, “A friend of mine recommended it. He said the coffee was worth the walk to get here.”

As Baekhyun lifted his coffee to take another sip, Dongyeol took in the little details about him.

_I didn’t realize he wore glasses. They frame his face really well and make his face look… adorable._

“I didn’t expect you to still be in town,” Dongyeol commented as he played with the edge of a napkin. “How long are you visiting for?”

Baekhyun swallowed his coffee before responding, “I’m flying to see my father in a few days, but I actually think I’ll be looking at a permanent residence here.”

Dongyeol perked up a little bit.

“Really? That sounds exciting! What for?”

The corners of Baekhyun’s mouth curled into a small smile.

“Since my father is international but does a lot of his work here, he and I agree it’s easier for me to live here and travel rather than travel into the country every time.”

“Where do you and your father live now? I must’ve missed that,” Dongyeol asked, leaning forward in his seat.

“We live in New York, in the United States.”

“Woah,” Dongyeol mused. “That must be a lot of fun. I’ve seen tons of pictures. You must be fluent in English, huh?”

Baekhyun laughed nervously. 

“Only fluent enough to do my job and order food.”

_His glasses really only bring out how pretty his eyes are. I didn’t realize brown eyes could be so captivating._

“Tell me more about yourself,” Dongyeol said as he rested his chin on his hand.

“I’m pretty boring,” Baekhyun chuckled as he mimicked Dongyeol’s actions. “I’m a Taurus, O blood type, I don’t really like vegetables, I-”

“That’s boring stuff,” Dongyeol interrupted with a laugh. “Tell me interesting stuff. Like… oh, have you ever fallen in love before?”

Baekhyun’s nose scrunched a bit and Dongyeol couldn’t help but find it endearing.

“Uh, no. I haven’t fallen in love before. I told you I was boring,” Baekhyun answered, scratching his head before asking in return, “What about you? Have _you_ ever fallen in love?”

“It depends on what you consider ‘love’. I fall in love with stray animals on the way to work everyday. But people, not so much.”

Baekhyun laughed earnestly at his answer.

_His laugh is so pretty. It’s such a nice sound to listen to._

“Do you believe in fate?”

Dongyeol watched as Baekhyun mulled over the question for a minute before he said, “Yeah. Yeah, I do. I think the only reason bad things happen is because of fate. Good things, too.”

“Is it fate that brought you here to have coffee with me on a random day?” Dongyeol asked, his hands turning over a piece of the napkin from earlier.

There was a soft smile before Baekhyun replied, “It’s possible.”

“Your turn to ask me a question,” Dongyeol prompted.

Baekhyun turned his half-empty cup in his hands as he thought. “Have you ever hurt someone you love?” Baekhyun asked, eyes soft as he stared at Dongyeol.

“Yes,” Dongyeol answered quietly, avoiding the other’s stare. “I know I’ve hurt my brother before, but we’re siblings and we just fight sometimes. But I have definitely hurt my parents. I’m not exactly what they hoped I would be, so sometimes I think it hurts just to look at me and wonder what went wrong.”

Baekhyun blinked in surprise. He didn’t expect the other to be so open and honest when they hardly knew each other.

“Just because you don’t fit their expectations of you doesn’t mean something went wrong with you,” Baekhyun said gently. “I’ve done some things in my life that I’m sure my parents wouldn’t have expected or even approved of, but that’s part of growing up and figuring yourself out.”

_His hair looks so soft. I just want to run my fingers through it. I wonder if he’d like that._

There was a pause in conversation as Baekhyun drank his coffee and Dongyeol stared down at the table, lost in thought.

Finally, he spoke up and said, “Hey Baekhyun?”

“Yeah?”

“What’s your biggest fear?” Dongyeol asked, making eye contact with the other. 

Baekhyun chewed on his lip as he mulled over the question before responding with, “Being alone, I guess. Losing everyone I care about and being left without anyone. That’s my biggest fear.”

“That’s really deep,” Dongyeol said, twirling his fork in his fingers.

“What about you?” Baekhyun asked as he lifted his pastry to his mouth for a bite.

“I’m scared of my brother hating me. Followed closely by my fear of ghosts and pigeons.”

Baekhyun nearly choked on his food as he laughed, the sound so honest it made Dongyeol laugh himself.

Baekhyun must not have noticed because he was laughing but he had gotten filling from his pastry on the side of his mouth. Without much thought, Dongyeol reached forward. 

It startled Baekhyun as he looked up and saw Dongyeol moving, but he stayed still as the younger brushed the side of his mouth with his thumb. He blinked, his cheeks pink. The younger smiled and sat back, saying, “You had a little something on your face.”

“I-Uh-thanks,” Baekhyun stuttered out, hand reaching up to touch and scratch his shoulder.

_He’s cute when he’s flustered._

“I should probably get going,” Baekhyun said, disappointment in his voice. “I know my friend’s probably waiting to meet up with me.”

“Wait just one more second,” Dongyeol replied, looking around. When the barista went by, he called, “Yuqi-ssi!”

“Yes, Dongyeol-oppa?”

“Do you have a pen on you?” he asked and Baekhyun looked at him questioningly.

Yuqi nodded and handed it to him before walking away, giggling as she went.

“What are you-” Baekhyun started to ask, but was cut off when Dongyeol grabbed his hand and pulled the cap off the pen with his teeth. He quickly scribbled his number onto Baekhyun’s palm, smiling to himself.

When he was finished, Baekhyun drew his hand back and read the number.

“I figured you may not have many people to talk to around here. So now you have one more person.”

Dongyeol watched the other smile to himself as they rose and gathered their things. They walked to the door together, Dongyeol handing Yuqi her pen back as they passed.

“I appreciate the coffee today,” Baekhyun thanked as he flipped his hat around and pulled his hood back up. “And it was really nice to see you again. I hope we can make this a habit.”

As the other turned to leave, Dongyeol took a step forward and grabbed the other’s wrist, saying, “Hey, wait!”

Baekhyun stopped and looked at him, his face amused and curious.

“I wanted to give this back to you,” Dongyeol murmured as he dropped his hold and dug into his pocket, pulling out the handkerchief. 

But Baekhyun just smiled at Dongyeol and reached out to fold Dongyeol’s fingers around the material. 

“Keep it. You’ve used it more than I ever have. Plus, I don’t want to see you cry anymore.”

Then he winked and Dongyeol felt his stomach flutter a bit at the sentiment.

“Well, then next time, I’ll show you some good coffee places. You know, to show my appreciation.”

Baekhyun laughed and nodded.

They said their goodbyes and separated. Dongyeol smiled the entire walk back, fingers still wrapped around the handkerchief in his pocket.

 

He had arrived back at the office later than he had expected. He forgot he promised his brother lunch on his way back and got stuck in a line.

When he got back up to the top floor, he had hoped to drop off his brother’s food and sneak back into his office. Minsoo didn’t say anything if he noticed how long Dongyeol was gone. He just gratefully accepted the food and informed the younger of the contracts he had approved.

Dongyeol hurried back down the hall to his office. He had thought that he had gotten away with his little field trip until he opened his office door and saw Wooseok sitting on his desk, staring down into him.

“Damnit,” he muttered as he shut the door behind him.

“You know this building has cameras, right?” Wooseok said, raising an eyebrow.

“I just went out for lunch; I wasn’t running away.”

“Lunch takes over an hour?”

“I may have gotten...slightly sidetracked,” Dongyeol admitted, rubbing his neck.

“I don’t even want to know what it was this time,” Wooseok said, rolling his eyes as he slid off the desk. “All I know is that your father expects you and your brother to be done with all that paperwork by the end of the week. You have some catching up to do. I’d hate to have to tell him why you aren’t done but your brother is.”

“Hyung,” Dongyeol whined with a pout, “Please don’t tell him. I’ll get it finished, I always do. Just don’t tell him.”

Wooseok sighed but relented, nodding with a slight smile. He patted the younger’s head as he left the room, calling behind him, “You better be staying late today!”

Sitting down at his desk, he pulled the handkerchief from his pocket and stared at it.

_Staying late is well worth it to have seen you again._

###### 

Hwanhee stuffed his phone and wallet into his pocket before leaving his apartment, locking the door as he left.

He made his way downstairs and outside, bracing himself against the windchill. It was one of his rare days off and he was thoroughly enjoying it. Sleeping in, eating an actual cooked meal, lounging around the house; it was all just so nice to get to do.

Sooil was told to pick up the money the day after the gala from a drop-off location and the two of them had swapped the money beforehand. Sooil brought it to Yein and he had seem pleased. The two of them hadn’t heard anything since, which they took as a good sign. 

His phone started ringing and he dug it from his pocket.

“Hello?”

“ _Hey_ ,” Sooil greeted over the line. “ _What have you been up to today?_ ”

“The only productive thing I’ve done today is put on pants to go get coffee.”

“ _Ah. Are you going to the normal spot?_ ”

“You can always assume unless I’m delirious or drugged it will always be the normal spot.”

“ _You’re such a brat_ ,” Sooil chuckled. “ _But hey, I know it’s supposed to be your day off but I actually need you to run an errand with me._ ”

Hwanhee groaned loudly into the phone and stomped like Sooil could see him.

“Why do you do this to me?” He whined.

“ _I swear, you’re a child. It’s just one errand. Yein just wants to give us a rundown of an upcoming job. We’ll be there maybe twenty minutes and then you can go home._ ”

Hwanhee’s stomach flipped anxiously.

“He still hasn’t said anything about the money, right?”

“ _Hwan-ah, if he had said something to me, I’m sure he’d also say something to you. Just get your coffee and I’ll pick you up down the block in twenty-five minutes, okay?_ ”

Hwanhee groaned again but said, “Fine,” before he hung up.

He waited for traffic to stop before he crossed the street and stared at the cafe. It didn’t look very busy, thankfully. He opened the door and walked inside, rubbing his hands together to warm them up.

He pushed his hood back off his head, removing his cap and combing his hair back with his fingers before sliding the cap on backwards. He pushed his glasses up on his face as he stepped into line, reading over the menu like he didn’t already have everything memorized. There were only a few people before him and he let his thoughts wander.

He was anxious about seeing Yein face-to-face again. Not only was their last interaction...questionable, but he was nervous that Yein would find out he got involved in the other night’s mission. 

He was next in line and glanced at his watch.

_Twenty more minutes._

He stepped up to the register and ordered his regular coffee and a small pastry. When he tried to hand over his card to pay, the cashier simply shook her head and said, “Oh, no need!”

Hwanhee felt his head tilt slightly as he stared at her, confused. 

“I’m sorry?”

“Your food was paid for already, by that gentleman back there,” the cashier replied, gesturing behind him.

Hwanhee turned and scanned the cafe before he spotted a familiar face.

_Dongyeol?_

He watched as the other shot him a bright smile. Hwanhee felt a bit stunned but found himself smiling back. He thanked the cashier as he grabbed his drink and food and moved to join Dongyeol.

_I still have fifteen minutes. I can sit down for a minute._

“You shouldn’t have done that,” he chastised, his voice raising in pitch slightly. 

“I wanted to,” Dongyeol said to him with a soft smile. “Plus, yelling your name across the cafe to get your attention is frowned upon.”

Hwanhee laughed, nodding his head in agreement before he took a sip of his drink. It was warm and chased the remaining chill away.

“So what brings you here?” Dongyeol asked casually, grabbing his own drink. “I thought this place was pretty small, not very well-known.”

The simple question felt like a punch in the gut. He knew Dongyeol meant no harm and he couldn’t have known, but Hwanhee still felt himself react to the question. 

It was his favorite cafe to come to. Not because he particularly liked the coffee or food or anything, but because it was one of the last places he had visited with his parents before they died. The place had been open over ten years now.

Hwanhee blinked and thought for a moment.

_Right. He only knows me as Baekhyun._

“A friend of mine recommended it. He said the coffee was worth the walk to get here,” Hwanhee lied easily, lifting the drink for another sip.

Hwanhee noticed Dongyeol nervously fiddling with a napkin before he spoke up and said, “I didn’t expect you to still be in town. How long are you visiting for?”

_Shit. Keep your facts straight._

“I’m flying to see my father in a few days, but I actually think I’ll be looking at a permanent residence here.”

Hwanhee watched as Dongyeol’s demeanor lit up slightly.

“Really?” The other asked excitedly, “That sounds exciting. What for?”

Hwanhee felt his lips pull into a small smile, but he reminded himself to keep his story straight.

_Stay focused._

“Since my father is international but does a lot of work here, he and I agree it’s easier for me to live here and travel rather than travel into the country every time.”

“Where do you and your father live now?” Dongyeol asked, curiosity in his voice. He leaned forward in his seat “I must’ve missed that.”

“We live in New York, in the United States,” he replied, keeping himself from fidgeting. 

_Tell half-truths. We visited New York once. That counts, right?_

“Woah, that must be a lot of fun. I’ve seen tons of pictures. You must be fluent in English, huh?”

_Shit. Didn’t think of that._

Hwanhee purposely laughed nervously and replied as easily as he could, “Only fluent enough to do my job and order food.”

Hwanhee watched as the other brought his arm up to rest on the table, leaning his chin against his hand. 

“Tell me more about yourself,” the younger prompted. 

Hwanhee felt himself adjusting and resting on his palm as well. 

“I’m pretty boring,” he chuckled. “I’m a Taurus, O blood type, I don’t really like vegetables, I-”

He was cut off with Dongyeol laughing. “That’s boring stuff. Tell me interesting stuff. Like… oh, have you ever fallen in love before?”

Hwanhee scrunched his nose as he thought.

“Uh… no. I haven’t fallen in love before. I told you I was boring.” Hwanhee scratched his head. 

_Wow, he’s really going in with these questions._

“What about you?” Hwanhee returned. “Have _you_ ever fallen in love?”

He watched as Dongyeol smirked playfully.

“It depends on what you consider ‘love’. I fall in love with stray animals on the way to work everyday. But people, not so much.”

Hwanhee felt himself laugh earnestly.

_He’s cute._

“Do you believe in fate?” Dongyeol questioned and Hwanhee felt himself thinking again. 

Of course he believed in fate. How else was he supposed to come to terms with his parents’ deaths if he didn’t? Fate was cruel and it didn’t make sense and everything would play out how it was meant to, regardless of your actions.

But thinking of the naive boy in front of him, who seemed to still have a childlike curiosity and sense of wonder in the world, he couldn’t say exactly how he felt. 

“Yeah,” Hwanhee said, deciding on his words. “Yeah, I do. I think the only reason bad things happen is because of fate. Good things, too.”

Dongyeol accepted that answer as he played with a scrap of his napkin in his fingers. Then, he asked, “Is it fate that brought you here to have coffee with me on a random day?”

Hwanhee felt his stomach flutter and he smiled softly at the younger. “It’s possible,” Hwanhee replied.

“Your turn to ask me a question,” Dongyeol said, sitting up in his chair, eyes shining in amusement.

_He’s adorable._

Hwanhee passed his cup back and forth in his hands. He tried to think of a cheesy question. He found himself wanting to know more about the younger.

“Have you ever hurt someone you love?” He finally asked. He looked at Dongyeol and couldn’t imagine him hurting a fly, let alone someone he cared for.

_Plus, I don’t wanna be hurt anymore._

He shook his thoughts away and saw Dongyeol look down, trying to avoid his eyes. 

“Yes,” he answered honestly, sounding like a kicked puppy. “I know I’ve hurt my brother before, but we’re siblings and we just fight sometimes. But I’ve definitely hurt my parents. I’m not exactly what they hoped I would be, so sometimes I think it hurts just to look at me and wonder what went wrong.”

Hwanhee felt slightly taken back. He didn’t think the other would respond such a question with an intense answer. 

He found himself opening his mouth to answer before thinking.

“Just because you don’t fit their expectations of you doesn’t mean something went wrong with you. I’ve done some things in my life that I’m sure my parents wouldn’t have expected or even approved of, but that’s part of growing up and figuring yourself out.”

Wanting to let his words settle, Hwanhee sat back and sipped his coffee. Dongyeol stared down at the table, bouncing his leg as he thought. The pause was comfortable, calm. 

When the other broke the silence, Hwanhee felt relieved he didn’t upset the younger.

“Hey Baekhyun?”

“Yeah?” Hwanhee answered, already feeling comfortable with the alias name.

“What’s your biggest fear?” Dongyeol asked, catching Hwanhee’s eyes and maintaining contact. 

Hwanhee pulled in his bottom lip and chewed as he thought. 

“Being alone, I guess. Losing everyone I care about and being left without anyone. That’s my biggest fear.”

“That’s really deep.”

“What about you?” Hwanhee responded, wanting to get the attention off himself. He lifted the snack to take a bite.

“I’m scared of my brother hating me,” Dongyeol said, “Followed closely by my fear of ghosts and pigeons.”

Hwanhee snorted in laughter, nearly inhaling the bite he took and coughed once or twice before he laughing more. It made Dongyeol smile and laugh with him.

When he looked up at Dongyeol, the other was leaning forward, his hand slightly outstretched. It made Hwanhee jump slightly but he stayed still. He felt a blush creep onto his cheeks as the younger’s thumb brushed the corner of his lips. 

Dongyeol sat back and smiled, almost proud of himself, and said, “You had a little something on your face.”

“I-uh-thanks,” Hwanhee managed to sputter out, scratching his shoulder. 

Realizing it must’ve been at least ten minutes since he sat down, Hwanhee spoke up and said, “I should probably get going. I know my friend’s probably waiting to meet up with me.” He couldn’t fight the disappointment he felt.

“Wait just one more second,” Dongyeol insisted, looking around. When one of the regular baristas walked by, he called out, “Yuqi-ssi!”

She stopped and smiled warmly at him. 

“Yes, Dongyeol-oppa?” 

“Do you have a pen on you?” he asked innocently. Hwanhee watched in confusion.

She handed it to him and moved away, giggling.

“What are you-” Hwanhee started before Dongyeol reached forward and grabbed his hand, pulling the cap of the pen off with his teeth. He placed the tip of the pen to Hwanhee’s palm, scribbling quickly. When he finished, he sat back and smiled to himself. 

Hwanhee looked at his hand, reading the number.

“I figured you may not have many people to talk to around here. So now you have one more person,” Dongyeol explained, recapping the pen. 

Hwanhee couldn’t pinpoint the feeling he felt at the statement, but he smiled to himself. 

They both stood and gathered their things, Dongyeol handing the pen back to the barista before they exited the cafe.

“I appreciate the coffee today. And it was really nice to see you again. I hope we can make this a habit,” Hwanhee said honestly as he fixed his hat and hood on his head. 

He turned on his heel to leave, but he felt a hand wrap around his wrist.

“Hey, wait!”

Hwanhee stopped and turned to face the younger, feeling amused.

“I wanted to give this back to you,” the other said, digging into his pocket and withdrawing the handkerchief Hwanhee had given him the other night.

Hwanhee was surprised the younger still had it, let alone was carrying it around with him. For whatever reason, it made Hwanhee feel warm and he smiled. 

He grabbed Dongyeol’s hand and curled the younger’s fingers around the handkerchief, replying with a wink, “Keep it. You’ve used it more than I ever have. Plus, I don’t want to see you cry anymore.”

“Well, then next time, I’ll show you some good coffee places. You know, to show my appreciation.”

Hwanhee laughed and nodded before the two said goodbyes. 

Hwanhee glanced down at his phone and saw two missed calls. When he saw the time, he nearly tripped over his own feet.

_I’m running late. We’re going to be late meeting with Yein. Fuck._

He broke into a run down the block and searched for the car Sooil normally rode in for business.

When he spotted it, he sprinted over and skidded to a stop in front of the door. He climbed in, panting, and looked at Sooil.

“I’m sorry. I lost track of time. I’m so sorry. It’s my fault. I’ll take responsibility, I’ll-”

Sooil shushed him as they pulled off from the curb.

“Just pray we don’t actually get there late. Yein hates tardiness. And I’d hate to be on the receiving end of his punishments again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because I haven't said it before:
> 
> Feel free to leave us feedback/comments/questions!
> 
> We love hearing what our readers think and feel and how they react!
> 
> This is a story that we update as we write so no plot point or character development is set until it's uploaded!
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> Thank you for the support ~


	11. What I'm Going To Do Might Hurt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Explicit Chapter! Varies from the Twt version!
> 
> Sorry for such a long wait :(

They arrived at the building a few minutes late. Sooil furrowed his brows and Hwanhee was just trying to breathe correctly as they hurried through the lobby and upstairs to the penthouse suite again. The two guards immediately nodded to Sooil and let them enter.

They found Yein in his office, branched off from the living room that Hwanhee was in last time he was here.

Sooil knocked on the door, pushing it open before there was an answer.

He and Hwanhee stood in front of the large, sleek desk, watching Yein type away on his computer.

“You’re late,” he said, not bothering to look up.

“Yes, I know. Traffic. Live in a better part of town if you want us to always be on time.”

Irritation flashed across Yein’s face and his eyes flickered up to meet Sooil’s before he shook his head and finished what he was doing. He signaled them both to make themselves comfortable and Sooil pointed Hwanhee into a seat in a small sitting area in the corner.

Hwanhee plopped down onto the couch, Sooil sitting next to him, and took the opportunity looked around the room.

_I didn’t realize he liked candles so much_ Hwanhee thought as he counted the decorations scattered everywhere.

The office was fairly simple and bare. Besides Yein’s desk and the sitting area- which included a couch, two lounge chairs, and a coffee table- there was no other furniture around. There was a few things hung on the walls, but nothing exuberant or flashy. Just an excessive amount of candles.

Hwanhee noticed a safe sitting behind the desk. It peaked his curiosity, but he didn’t ask about it. He was halfway convinced he wouldn’t want to know what was in there anyway.

Yein stood from behind the desk and made his way over to the area they were seated in, a semi-thick folder in hand. 

“Since you decided to finally arrive,” Yein commented, shooting another annoyed look towards Sooil before sitting across from them. He tossed the file on the table and it slid towards Hwanhee. Yein leaned back and crossed his legs as he observed the two.

“I have another important job. One that I can’t delegate to anyone that I don’t trust.”

Sooil perked an eyebrow, reaching in front of Hwanhee to flip open the file.

“As you know, we had a bit of a rat problem we’ve been taking care of,” Yein started. “Jinyoung, Hansol, and Heejun were only half of the problem. We exterminated the rats themselves, but we haven’t tackled the source of this infestation. Our weaker members are being swayed to betray us with promises of protection and a ‘better’ life. We have to finish cracking down and weeding out anyone that isn’t loyal to us, but that isn’t your concern. What I need you two to focus on is this.”

Yein nodded towards the folder and Hwanhee looked down at the page.

There were multiple police officer headshots along with in-field pictures attached to the page. Five individuals were listed under their official photos.

_Kim, J._  
_Kim, M._  
_Do, K._  
_Im, J._  
_Lee, S._

“That is a list of officers and detectives that seem to be particularly nosy and interested in our activities. Four of them are all in the same homicide investigation department. The one we’ve had the most trouble is this one,” Yein said, uncrossing his legs to lean forward and jab at the last name on the list. 

“Lately, he’s become quite a thorn in my side. We don’t have much on him, besides that he’s been poking around in things he needs to leave alone.”

“So, what do you need us to do?” Sooil asked.

“I want them gone,” Yein said, straight to the point. “Being nosy doesn’t get you anything but killed. I want them to know that. Start with Lee and work down the list.”

“That’s not a problem. You didn’t have to go into theatrics about it,” Sooil said as he looked up at the other.

“It _is_ a problem. I need this done efficiently, without evidence or a trail. If I gave it to someone else, they’d fuck it up and we’d be right back to where we started.”

“So make them disappear, but make it natural? This isn’t supposed to be a big warning sign,” Hwanhee clarified, reading through the other documents in the folder.

“Exactly,” Yein answered.

“We’re always efficient. We’ll get this done, no problem,” Sooil said as he stood and Hwanhee followed his lead. Sooil scooped the folder from the table and tucked it into his jacket.

Sooil motioned Hwanhee to move before they heard Yein clear his throat. 

Yein stood from his spot with his hands behind his back and said in an eerily calm voice, “Ah, we’re not finished yet. There’s still one more thing I need to address with you two.”

Hwanhee felt dread in his stomach like an anvil and saw in his peripheral as Sooil blinked and nodded.

“Yes? What is it?”

“When were you two going to tell me that you deliberately disobeyed orders and completed that mission yourselves?”

Hwanhee paled and felt himself waver in his spot. He willed himself not to pass out where he stood, but his racing thoughts only made him feel more panicked. 

_I’m dead. I’m dead. I’m fucking dead. He’s going to fucking kill me._

Sooil immediately took a step forward, signaling Hwanhee to stay where he was with one hand, and said, “Yein, it’s my fault; Hwanhee disobeyed because I ordered him to. I let my own bias and feelings get in the way of the mission. Don’t punish him for listening.”

Yein _tsk-tsked_ as he approached the other.

“Sooil, you’ve worked for me for a while now, no? And we’ve been friends even longer.”

Yein paused, then leaning closer to Sooil, murmured, “You’re very loyal, my friend. And you’ve never acted out of order before. I know about your personal biases here. But even if it wasn’t out of character for you, I know our dear Hwanhee acted alone until after it was all said and done.”

Sooil clenched his jaw but said nothing, holding Yein’s stare. Neither one of them wanted to back down to the other. 

“Of course, you’ll have your own consequences for your actions, but Hwanhee needs to be punished for how he’s acted.”

Hwanhee felt his stomach lurch and he really thought he was about to lose his lunch on Yein’s shiny marble floor.

Sooil stepped forward again and in a low, insistent voice said, “Yein, he’s under _me._ How he acts is a representation of me and ultimately, I’m responsible for him. If you’re going to punish someone, it needs to be _me._ I can handle Hwanhee as my own.”

“Ah, but that’s not enough,” Yein cooed as he stepped past Sooil and stopped in front of Hwanhee. 

Hwanhee was staring down at the ground, praying that the ground would just open up and swallow him whole. He’s pretty sure almost anything would be better than whatever punishment was on Yein’s mind.

“ _I_ need to _personally_ punish Hwanhee. To ensure this type of behavior doesn’t continue.”

To Hwanhee’s utter shock, Sooil took a step and grabbed Yein’s arm tightly, gritting through his teeth, “Yein. Don’t.”

Yein’s eyes flashed dangerously and they glared at each other again for a moment before Hwanhee managed to find his voice.

“N-no. It’s f-fine,” Hwanhee stuttered, putting his hand on Sooil’s shoulder. “I-I disobeyed. I know I deserve the consequences.”

Sooil spun and stared at the younger, his eyes unreadable. 

Yein smirked devilishly at Hwanhee.

“I’m proud of you for taking responsibility for your actions, Hwanhee,” Yein commented as he brushed his hands down Hwanhee’s shoulders before looking back at Sooil and saying, “If you’ll wait downstairs, I’ll be with you shortly.”

Sooil stood still, tense and furious in his spot. 

“Go,” Hwanhee urged. He tried to communicate with the elder that it was alright, that he deserved what was coming to him, that Sooil didn’t have to get himself _killed_ to save Hwanhee’s ass.

“You can either cooperate and leave on your own, or I’ll make you leave,” Yein said cooly.

Hwanhee could see Sooil’s nostrils flaring in anger, his fists tight by his sides. He was fuming, but he didn’t have a choice. 

With one last glare to Yein, Sooil stormed out of the room. The door slammed loudly behind him.

Now, they were alone again.

Hwanhee tried to keep his breathing level and even, but he was just so _fucking scared._ What kind of punishment did disobeying warrant? Cutting a limb off? Or cutting out his tongue? Was Yein going to find some creative new way to torture him? Or would he just kill him and be done with it?

“Last time you were here, I spoke so highly of you,” Yein said in an amused voice as he circled the younger slowly, looking him over intimidatingly. “What happened?”

“I’m s-sorry, sir,” Hwanhee started, “I w-wasn’t thinking, I’m-”

“Quiet,” Yein bit harshly, silencing Hwanhee immediately.

Yein stared at Hwanhee for a moment, a mischievous glint shining in his eyes before he commanded, “Kneel.”

Hwanhee’s knees buckled and he clumsily knelt on the ground, his head hung. His hands were pressed into his thighs, trembling hard and causing the whole area to shake. 

_I’m going to fucking die._

“I really trusted you with this mission, Hwanhee,” Yein said softly, standing over the younger. 

Hwanhee heard rustling as Yein moved to stand behind him, but he kept his eyes trained down on the ground.

_I am going to fucking die._

He couldn’t help but jump when hands came into his line of vision from behind him, holding a piece of fabric.

“Maybe you can’t handle that level of responsibility for us. For me,” Yein purred as he tied the blindfold tightly onto Hwanhee. When he was satisfied with the knot, he took a step back. Hwanhee couldn’t hear him move. His heart started to beat even faster.

_I am going to **fucking** die._

“I guess I overestimated Sooil’s guidance and teaching as well. I expected more from you because it’s _him_ instructing you. You both disappointed me today.”

Then, Yein’s shoes scraped against the ground and Hwanhee heard him settle in front of him again.

“I thought you were different from those other street rookies. Better than them. I guess I was wrong.”

He heard a distinct _click click_ and Hwanhee’s blood ran cold. There was a small, cold nuzzle pressed to his forehead. He stopped breathing, stopped thinking. Hell, his heart probably stopped. 

“Is there anything you want to say to me?” Yein mused.

Hwanhee couldn’t stop the free flow of tears that slid down his cheeks and soaked the blindfold. His heart was beating frantically and he was shaking hard but his voice was oddly firm as he spoke.

“I know I fucked up, sir. And I understand I need to be punished for it. But I _am_ better than the others. And if I can show you that again, I will. I’ll gain your trust back. I’ll prove myself to you. I won’t disobey anymore. I’m loyal to you and only you.”

Deafening silence followed. 

After a few dozen racing _thumps_ of his heart, Hwanhee felt the gun lowered from his head. He audibly sighed in relief.

“Is that so?” 

Hwanhee could hear the smirk in Yein’s voice. Then, he was yanked up from the ground to stand. He wavered a bit but stood as well as he could. 

“I am going to punish you now. Not because I want to, but because you need to learn,” Yein murmured lowly in his ear as he gently wiped away a few stray tears that slipped out from under the blindfold. Then Yein’s hands ghosted to the front of Hwanhee’s jacket.

“But I believe you,” Yein continued as he pushed the jacket off the younger’s shoulders. “I know you’ll earn my trust back.” Goosebumps rose on Hwanhee’s now-bare skin from the cold air and he shivered.

He quickly pulled Hwanhee’s hoodie over his head and readjusted the blindfold.

Hwanhee was then being turned and steered until they both stopped and Yein said simply, “Sit.”

Hwanhee sat in a stiff, wooden chair, trying to make the seat more comfortable without fidgeting too much. He wasn’t even sure where it came from. He hadn’t noticed it earlier.

“You’re still very special to me,” Yein praised from behind Hwanhee as there was a metallic _clang_ and Hwanhee’s arms were being restrained behind his back.

Hwanhee pulled at the handcuffs slightly, still a little panicked. His nerves were completely shot and while he might not be killed, he didn’t feel great about this arrangement either. 

“What I’m going to do might hurt, but I’m not going to hurt you.”

Yein’s voice was surprisingly calm, meant to soothe the younger.

Hwanhee felt warm fingers on the nape of his neck, making small circles on the skin. The action alone helped melt away some of the residual dread and anxiety. 

The fingers left and he heard footsteps moving away from him. It was silent except for Yein humming softly.

When Yein approached again, Hwanhee smelt something light and fragrant. Whatever it was brought forth nostalgic thoughts for Hwanhee.

Memories from his childhood floated to mind, as well as short clips of fun he had with Sooil and miscellaneous other friends. Then, a particular younger man with a cute smile and an adorable giggle popped up. He smiled faintly at the thought.

The thought rapidly dissolved when he felt a burning pain bloom over a small area on his upper chest, right under his collarbones. He flinched and hissed in pain, the feeling only amplified with his sight temporarily gone.

_What… what was that? Did he cut me? Did he burn me with a lighter?_

The area stung in pain, but there wasn’t a stabbing pain and he didn’t feel any blood running down his skin. 

There was another jolt of pain on the opposite side, this time trickling down his skin a bit before the pain lessened. 

_Is he… is he using candle wax?_

“W-what are you d-”

Yein pinched and sharply twisted one of Hwanhee’s nipples.

Hwanhee gasped, pulling at his restraints some.

“Quiet. We’ve only just started.”

Yein’s voice sounded far off as he ran his thumb over Hwanhee’s lip. The different sensations were overwhelming to Hwanhee’s system.

There was a back and forth of small jolts of burning pain and light caresses. The two together was making Hwanhee feel dizzy.

Then their little dynamic changed.

Hwanhee yelped when Yein poured a large amount of what he assumed was wax on his chest. The wax dribbled down his skin and took longer to dry than the other small drops had.

But his attention was immediately drawn away from the stinging pain down his chest and stomach when he felt hands at his belt. He shakily inhaled and tried to focus on the pain instead.

Hwanhee felt two taps on his thighs, followed by a quiet but stern, “Up,” and he raised his hips. He felt his cheeks burning but he didn’t want to refuse.

His pants were slid down his thighs and dropped, pooling around his ankles. He could feel his ears burning a bright red at this point. 

Yein’s hands expertly crawled up and down the bare skin, making Hwanhee jump each time his nails hit the hem of his briefs. The wax had dried by now and was forgotten on his chest.

Then there was hot wax being dripped onto his inner thighs and he couldn’t help but curse at the pain while pulling against the handcuffs harder.

“Ah, fuck!”

There was a harsh slap to his leg and Hwanhee hissed again.

“I didn’t give you permission to talk. Being punished means that you don’t get to do what you want, Hwanhee. Am I making myself clear?”

Hwanhee nodded, missing the hint.

He got another slap.

“But when I ask you a question, you respond to me. So I’ll ask again: _Am I making myself clear?_ ”

“Yes...sir,” he whimpered, feeling the pain from the two hits radiate throughout his thigh.

“That’s a good boy,” Yein whispered before he went back to fiddling with the hem of Hwanhee’s remaining clothes, pushing them further up. 

Hwanhee felt wax drip onto his upper thighs and he winced, biting his tongue to keep himself from crying out. He couldn’t help the whine that left his lips, but he was grateful Yein didn’t mind the noise.

Hwanhee jumped when he felt fingers briefly brush the front of his briefs before the hand went up and pet the skin on his neck before wrapping around it.

Yein didn’t squeeze too hard, just enough to make breathing a bit more difficult. Hwanhee felt gentle nibbling around the outside and lobe of his ear as the hand on his neck constricted and relaxed. 

A wave of heat washed through Hwanhee at all the different sensations and he was just _prayingThis_ ,” Yein said, hand brushing back across the front of his briefs once more.

“Be good while I’m gone,” Yein called, footsteps moving away before the door opened and closed.

_What the fuck?_

Hwanhee tried to keep himself calm but he wasn’t quite sure what he was supposed to do. Did Yein just leave him here alone, restrained in the chair? How long was he going to be gone? 

Hwanhee pulled against the restraints, but was rendered breathless by the friction his movements caused, as well as the wax pulling slightly on his skin.

_This is not good. I-I need to calm down._

Hwanhee tried to think of anything to make his body cooperate. 

He started thinking of Sooil, someone like a brother to him. A brother that tried to do all he could to save his ass. Someone who was going to have to get punished because of his reckless behavior. 

But then he thought of the same person from earlier. Someone with a cute smile and a dorky laugh. Someone who was tall and slender and pretty. But he didn’t realize that his thoughts were getting derailed.

_His neck. His hands. His lips. His legs. His ass. His-_

“Fuck,” Hwanhee muttered angrily, throwing his head back in frustration. He’d only managed to make the situation he was in worse.

He sat, tied up and half-dazed, for what Hwanhee could only assume was over thirty minutes. He had only continued to think about the younger and made the slowly-passing time hell for himself.

He sat and just listened to the clock somewhere _tick-tick-tick_ and thought he was about ready to lose his mind when he heard the door knob jiggle.

Nervousness ran through Hwanhee as he heard the door briefly open then close.

Hwanhee listened as the shoes scuffed against the floor as they drew closer to him. 

“Have you been a good boy?” Yein purred dangerously close to his ear and Hwanhee fought against the shivers that shook his body.

“Y-yes sir,” Hwanhee answered in a meek voice, shyly nodding. 

“I can see that,” Yein mused, dragging his hand up Hwanhee’s thigh and over the still-present bulge. Hwanhee gasped and bit his lip.

Yein took the opportunity to straddle Hwanhee’s lap, latching onto Hwanhee’s neck and smirking at the surprised noise the younger made.

Yein meticulously treated and teased the skin all along Hwanhee’s neck before moving up to the crook of his jaw. Yein peppered kisses along Hwanhee’s jaw, listening to the small pants and whines that slipped out. 

_Oh fuck. This can’t be good...can it? Is this okay?_

Hwanhee felt like he was too warm and every single place Yein touched caught fire, making heat pool in his belly. It was all so overwhelming. 

He didn’t realize that he had bucked his hips up into Yein until a breathy whimper spilled from his lips before he could stop it.

He turned crimson red and Yein leaned down, pressing a kiss to the corner of Hwanhee’s mouth.

_His lips are really soft. Am I allowed to kiss him?_

Hwanhee could feel how close Yein was to his face; he could feel the other’s breath ghosting over him.

There was a surge of courage mixed with need and curiosity that pushed Hwanhee to chase Yein’s lips. Their lips connected and Hwanhee felt an electric buzz throughout his entire body.

Hwanhee felt Yein still, hesitation apparent for a moment before Yein pushed back into the kiss.

“You’re so needy,” Yein mumbled in between kisses.

Hwanhee whined into Yein’s mouth and bucked his hips again, causing him to moan and Yein’s breath to hitch. 

Yein reiterated, “You’re so _needy_ ,” before they were kissing again.

Hwanhee felt unsure hands travel up the back of his neck, tilting Hwanhee’s head slightly to deepen the kiss. 

Hwanhee was feeling intoxicated with lust; there was something about Yein that spurred him on and excited him. He just wanted more, more, _more._

He arched into Yein and pulled against the restraints, trying to get closer and relieve some of the pressure from his almost painfully hard erection. 

But when he arched, he was surprised to feel that Yein was equally as hard. 

The blindfold made Hwanhee a bit more bold; because he couldn’t see Yein or any reactions from the other, he was only more motivated to push his boundaries.

He kissed back feverishly, making Yein stutter in his actions. Hwanhee took the opportunity to get the upper hand and bit Yein’s bottom lip, causing him to whine quietly.

But then like the flip of a switch, Yein went rigid in Hwanhee’s lap. He took a fistful of hair and yanked harshly, causing Hwanhee to yelp. 

“Stop,” Yein commanded in a stern voice, gripping Hwanhee’s hair tighter for a moment before releasing and moving off of him completely.

_Shit. Did I do something wrong? Did I push too far?_

Hwanhee listened as the other stepped around him before he felt Yein’s hands working at the restraints behind him. 

“You said you’d do anything to show your loyalty?” Yein questioned as one of Hwanhee’s hands was freed. He flexed it slowly, trying to ignore the pain from his wrist.

“To show you’re sorry?” Yein continued, freeing the other hand.

“To show that you’ll earn my trust back?” He asked as he circled back around, standing in front of Hwanhee.

“Yes sir,” Hwanhee breathed, a mix of arousal and nervousness burning in his stomach.

“Good. Kneel.”

Hwanhee got onto the floor as quickly as he dared, careful of his stiff arms. He sat in anticipation, listening for any clues as to what Yein was planning next. But when he heard the metallic clanging and unhooking of a belt, he was nervous again.

_Am I going to get hit or-_

Hwanhee felt a finger tip his chin up slightly before Yein’s thumb slid across Hwanhee’s bottom lip.

“Open up, Princess.”

Realization hit Hwanhee like a truck and he pulled back from Yein’s touch, shaking his head slightly.

“Wait-I-uh-I’m-”

Yein hummed and Hwanhee could hear the cocky smirk in his voice.

“Mmm, have you done this before, Princess?”

Hwanhee felt embarrassment creep up and burn his cheeks, but he was asked a question.

“N-no, sir.”

Hwanhee felt fingers brush his hair back gently. Nails gently scratched his scalp and Hwanhee leaned into the touch.

“I don’t believe you’re all that innocent, Hwanhee. And I know you want to show me how loyal you are, hmm?”

Hwanhee mumbled a “Yes Sir,” still unsure.

“I told you I’m not going to hurt you,” Yein said softly. “Do you believe me when I say that? Do you want to prove yourself to me?”

Hwanhee lost his voice at the deep tone and the way his stomach flipped at the words. He nodded and Yein perked an eyebrow but decided to let it slide.

“Come on, then. _Show me._ ”

Yein’s thumb played with Hwanhee’s bottom lip, running it back and forth and flipping it occasionally.

Hwanhee felt nervousness shake his entire body. He was grateful for the blindfold blocking his vision. Where most people would’ve been intimidated by the lack of sight, it gave Hwanhee the confidence to do things he wouldn’t dare try with Yein’s eyes boring into him.

When Yein pushed down onto Hwanhee’s lip again, his tongue shot out and licked the pad of his thumb, pulling it into his mouth with one motion. 

“There you go. That’s my boy,” Yein praised, his hand buried in Hwanhee’s hair tightening slightly.

Hwanhee heard shifting of fabric in front of him. Then, Yein hooked his thumb in his mouth, opening Hwanhee’s mouth more before withdrawing that hand.

Yein reached forward and ran his free hand down Hwanhee’s arm, grasping his forearm and bringing Hwanhee’s hand up to rest along his upper thigh. The hand in his hair tightened again and Hwanhee took that as a sign to continue.

Hwanhee brought his other hand up and spread his fingers out, feeling the muscle on Yein’s thighs underneath his touch. He took a shaky breath before moving his hands up.

Tentative fingers wrapped around the base of Yein’s length. Hwanhee heard Yein inhale sharply but remained still and in his spot. The noise made Hwanhee’s own cock throb.

Hwanhee experimentally pumped his fist, listening to the way Yein tried to control his breathing. He pumped his hand again, squeezing slightly and twisting his wrist.

“Just like that,” Yein said in a strained voice.

Hwanhee picked up a rhythm, savoring the small noises Yein would make every now and then. It only built up his confidence and spurred him on more. He used his thumb to smear the precum that had gathered on the tip.

Impatient with the other’s teasing, Yein pulled Hwanhee closer with the hand he had buried in his hair.

Hwanhee took the hint and leaned forward, pressing a chaste kiss to the head of Yein’s cock. Yein hummed in approval and rubbed the nape of Hwanhee’s neck, his nails scratching lightly.

Hwanhee kissed a few more times, feeling Yein grow impatient again. It almost felt like a bit of a game; he was testing his boundaries, seeing how far he could get with his actions.

Before he was corrected again, Hwanhee flicked his tongue out, dragging it across the tip. The appreciative noise Yein made caused Hwanhee to whimper. 

There was a series of kittenish licks before Hwanhee was comfortable again. He squeezed near the base as he licked the underside of Yein’s length, smiling when he got a reaction again. 

He took his time teasing and dragging his tongue across Yein, feeling all the little times Yein jumped or kept himself still. He licked up and down the shaft, thumb pushing against the head whenever he was at the base and jerking his hand gently when he was placing kisses on the tip.

“Hwanhee,” Yein warned, pulling at the roots of Hwanhee’s hair. Another wave of arousal hit Hwanhee, causing his cock to throb again. He was painfully hard and wanted nothing more than to get himself off, but his “game” with Yein had distracted him well.

Hwanhee licked his lips and leaned in again, swirling his tongue around the tip before he wrapped his lips around it. Yein pulled Hwanhee closer and the younger made a startled noise, sinking down further on Yein’s cock a little.

“Mmm, I knew you weren’t that innocent, Princess.”

Hwanhee stalled for a moment, letting himself adjust to the new position he was in. Once the momentary shock had passed, he pumped his fist again. When he heard Yein groan, he swirled his tongue in response. 

He found a good pace after some experimentation between pumping his hand and bobbing his head up and down, sliding his tongue along the underside of Yein’s cock. Now and then, he’d sink a little further down and hollow his cheeks, listening to the restrained noises from the other. 

He felt so driven by the need to please the other and hearing Yein slowly but surely start to fall apart in front of him. He was growing more comfortable with each passing second.

Hwanhee felt Yein bucking his hips more, unable to stay still as he continued his ministrations. The hand in his hair tightened to the point of prickling pain, but somehow each spark of pain went right to Hwanhee’s cock.

“Being such a good boy for me,” Yein muttered.

Hwanhee was surprised when the blindfold was suddenly yanked off. He blinked a few times, eyes trying to adjust to the change in light. 

He slowed his actions, glancing up at Yein through his lashes with wide, curious eyes.

Yein let out a quiet groan, cradling Hwanhee’s head and stilling his movements. He shallowly thrusted into the younger’s mouth before his breath hitched. 

Hwanhee’s eyes widened more when he felt the first spasm of Yein’s cock, cum spilling onto his tongue. Yein held him in place, riding through his orgasm. 

Hwanhee felt surprised and a little embarrassed, but not wanting to disappoint Yein, he swallowed and licked his lips before sitting back on his heels. He was desperately hard and just wanted some kind of release.

Yein closed his eyes and took a moment to regain his composure before he was adjusting himself back into his clothes and zipping up his pants. As he was fixing his belt, he glanced down at Hwanhee’s very visible and obvious bulge.

“You poor thing. I’m sure you’re just aching to cum, hmm?”

Hwanhee whimpered, nodding slightly as he bit his lip.

But Yein smirked and Hwanhee felt his stomach drop.

“Unfortunately, that’s the rest of your punishment. You’ve been a very good boy for me, but I need to make sure this message sinks in. I think Sooil’s waiting to take you home. It’d be rude to keep him waiting, Hwanhee.”

Yein pet Hwanhee’s head once more before he crossed the room and sat at his desk, waking up the computer before going back to work.

Hwanhee sat there for a moment, wanting to cry, before he carefully stood and redressed. He felt shame and embarrassment burning hot throughout his entire body as he willed his body to move. He picked the pieces of wax that were stuck to his chest and thighs off and threw them in the trash can nearby. He was in pain as he fixed his pants, pulled on his shoes, and went to open the door. 

But as we went to leave, Yein said, “Remember your punishments and rewards today, Hwanhee. I was very lenient with you; next time, you may not be so lucky.”

Hwanhee swallowed, hoping the lump in his stomach would disappear, and responded simply, “Yes, sir.”

Yein turned away again and Hwanhee took that as his cue to leave.

###### 

The ride back down to the lobby felt like torture in itself. Hwanhee was anxious about anyone else joining him in the elevator and seeing him in his current state. The stress alone helped his previous issue, but now he just felt conflicted and exhausted. He wasn’t sure how he went from having a gun to his head to- Hwanhee physically shook his head, chasing the thought away. He didn’t want to think about it anymore.

When the elevator doors finally opened, he stepped out into the lobby. Immediately, Sooil was on his feet and moving towards him. He had concern written all over his face, but his eyes looked relieved.

“Hey, Hwan-ah. Are you okay?” Sooil asked, stopping in front of Hwanhee to put his hands on his shoulders. “Are you hurt or anything?”

Hwanhee stared at the elder, his own eyes unreadable, before he responded, “I’m fine. Let’s go home.”

When he tried to take a step forward, Sooil grounded him in his spot.

“Hey, kid. What’s up? Are you really okay?”

The uncharacteristic behavior and tone of voice nearly broke Hwanhee. He wasn’t sure what mix of emotions he was feeling but he was close to tears.

“Please,” Hwanhee said in a tight voice, “I just want to go home.”

Sooil stared at him for a long moment, trying to find an answer for his behavior before he nodded and said, “Yeah, okay. I’ll take you home. Let’s go.”

Hwanhee gently pushed past Sooil, walking a few steps ahead of him so he could brush away any tears that slipped out without being noticed. 

But as Sooil followed the younger, he noticed deep, angry red marks buried into the skin around Hwanhee’s wrists. He felt a flare of anger bubble up in his chest. 

Yein had promised him earlier that Hwanhee wasn’t going to get hurt. But now he had these marks and he couldn’t even look at the elder. Sooil felt furious as they got into the car and made their way back to Hwanhee’s apartment. 

Hwanhee was silent the entire ride back, keeping his head down when they parked and walked up to the building. 

When Hwanhee was unlocking the door, Sooil reached forward and gently grabbed his arm, turning Hwanhee to face him.

“Hey, I told you I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, right?” Sooil asked softly, looking at Hwanhee sincerely. “So you would let me know if Yein did anything, yeah?”

Hwanhee was quiet, staring down at the ground.

“Because I can’t help otherwise,” Sooil continued. “I can’t read minds. So if anything happens, you just gotta tell me.”

Fighting against his emotions again, Hwanhee asked in a small voice, “He’s not going to kill me, right hyung?”

“I won’t let him.”

Hwanhee nodded before answering, “I’d let you know if he did anything, hyung. But I just want to sleep right now.”

“Okay,” Sooil said, releasing his hold on Hwanhee’s arm. “Get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”

Hwanhee said his goodbyes before he walked into the apartment.

He robotically moved to the bathroom and turned on the shower. There were still little pieces of wax caught on him that he couldn’t get earlier. 

He stepped into the spray and managed to wash himself off before his emotions slammed into him again and made him feel like the ground had been pulled out from under him. 

He sank down to sit on the shower floor, pulling his knees in close before he broke. He was hoping the water would carry away everything he was feeling and it would all just _stop._

His tears didn’t stop until long after the water had turned cold.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave us some comments! Hearing feedback is what encourages us to continue!


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